


Of Goblins and Demons

by Veldari



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-02-14 21:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 36,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2203968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veldari/pseuds/Veldari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah Williams is trying to forget her time in the Labyrinth and all the strangeness that came with it.  Too bad she's moved to Sunnydale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this a long time ago, I'm just shining it up and posting it. I hope you like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I'm not Jos Wedon or Jim Henson, and I don't own a darn thing.

Shadows

Sarah lay awake, watching the shadows move across her walls. Her curtains were drawn and there were no lights on anywhere in her room; there should be no shadows. And yet the fact remained, they were there, and they were moving, creeping silently towards her in the stillness of her darkened room. She was no longer afraid of the shadows; they had haunted her every night since moving to this new town. They never touched her, never harmed her in any way, and yet she couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off of them. Every night she lay awake, watching as they silently made their way across her room.

Her family had moved to this small Southern California town only a few weeks ago, just after her seventeenth birthday, when her father's job had transferred him here. She hadn't minded, there had been nothing holding her to her old hometown anyway. She had never had any friends to speak of and lately most of the things that had once made her happy there had begun to seem hollow. Here she was only a short drive away from her mother in Los Angeles, and her proximity to the beach was nice. It seemed like a quiet town, and that was fine with her; she had had enough adventure to last her a lifetime.

But from the moment they got here, strange things had started to happen. Little things at first, like disappearing earrings, or finding doors open that she knew she had just shut. But recently, the little things had gotten bigger.

Last night she had been in her room doing homework. She knew she was alone in the house, but she heard noises coming from downstairs in the kitchen. Common sense told her to stay upstairs and ignore the noises, but Sarah had never really been one to put much stock in common sense. She had gone downstairs to investigate, and was puzzled to find all the cabinets and drawers open and pots and pans and utensils strewn all over the floor. She quickly put everything away, not giving herself time to think about the implications.

She had turned around then and headed back to her room, when she heard a loud thunk behind her. Slowly she pivoted, not really wanting to know what had made the noise, but unable just to keep moving and head to her room as her mind was screaming for her to do. What she saw when she turned around made her blood run cold in her veins. Once again, all the cabinets and drawers were open, their contents littering the cheerfully tiled floor. It seemed a simple thing, and yet was unimaginably horrifying. However, as bad as it was, it couldn't compare to what was right in front of her. A large butcher knife hovered in mid air less than eight inches away from her face, so still in the air she had not even seen it at first. It almost looked as though it had been thrown at her from across the room and caught in the nick of time by unseen hands.

For a moment she simply stared at it, her mind unable to process what she was seeing. Finally her fear took over and she screamed, causing the knife to fall clattering to the floor. She turned and ran up the stairs without looking back and didn't stop until she was in her room with the door shut. She was pretty sure that what ever was out there couldn't be stopped by a locked door, yet she felt marginally safer despite that. She sat with her back against the door, silently thanking any gods that were listening that Toby had gone with her parents tonight.

She pretended she didn't hear the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, ignored the scratching at her door, and by all means she blocked out the persistent sound of breathing that came through the keyhole just above her head. She had closed her eyes and hummed quietly to herself, pretending she was in a much happier place. The tune of the song would have been familiar only to her, as she was the only mortal who had ever heard it, and this made it all the more comforting. In her mind she was far away in a safe place, dancing to music that played just for her, in the arms of the only person she knew who might be strong enough to protect her from whatever was on the other side of the door. She closed her eyes and let the memory take her away.

Her fantasy came crashing down around her, though, as the door behind her shook with a loud bang. Her eyes flew open, and her heart was pounding in her chest. For a few moments there was silence, and then another crash into her door. This one was so strong she had felt it reverberate deep into her bones. She balled her hands into tight fists and covered her ears with them, but still the banging continued. She wanted to scream, but she wouldn't give it the satisfaction. So she had sat there for hours, never moving, feeling her tenuous grip on reality being pulled away from her with each passing second. Then the banging had stopped, as suddenly as it began, and downstairs she heard the front door opening and the chatter of her parents entering the house.

Only then did she allow herself to move away from the door. She had stood there for a few minutes, waiting for the banging to resume, but her parents' arrival seemed to have sent her unseen tormentor away. Numbly she shed her clothing and made her way to the bed. She lay there quietly waiting for the tell tale shriek of Karen discovering the mess in her kitchen, but the sound never came. Perhaps whatever had caught the butcher knife had also put the kitchen back in order. Or maybe you've just gone insane, an unpleasant voice whispered in her mind. She pushed the voice away and paid in no heed. She knew what had happened was real, after all, she had seen stranger things, hadn't she?

That had all taken place hours ago, and yet she was still awake, keeping vigil over the shadows. They had begun their nightly journey almost as soon as she turned the lights off, and she had spent a great deal of time pondering their nature. She had no idea what their intentions were, whether they were malevolent or benevolent. She had no clue as to their origin, or why they seemed only to come at night. They had never harmed her, even on the occasions when she had been unable to fight off sleep. She didn't think they were connected to whatever was in her room tonight, because they seemed to have no trouble getting in, if in fact they ever left at all.

Whatever they were, she realized, they would be there whether she slept or not. She couldn't continue to lay awake all night watching them, she was making herself sick. With a heavy sigh she closed her eyes and rolled to her other side, determined to ignore them and get some sleep. She had nearly drifted off when an almost imperceptible sound had caught her attention. She opened her eyes once more, this time facing her window, waiting to see if the sound returned or if she had just imagined it. A long moment went by in silence, and she had almost given up, when suddenly she heard it again: a faint scraping on the window in front of her.

Her mind pleaded with her to close her eyes and go back to sleep, and yet she found herself sitting up and walking towards the window. Slowly she made her way across the floor, her heart thudding in her chest. Her mind was screaming now, begging her not to open the curtains, not to look outside, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. Before she could think anymore about it she reached out and threw the curtains open to find…nothing. There was nothing outside but trees and wind. She let out a shuddering breath and leaned her head against the window, her eyes closed. Her hands were shaking and she felt like she might throw up. She knew she couldn't go on like this, but she didn't know what to do. She couldn't talk to her parents about it, knowing from experience that they already thought she was a little crazy. Who could she turn to? And who would believe her if she did? She felt bitter tears rolling down her cheeks and absently wiped them away.

All she could do was go back to bed and think about it in the morning. She turned and straitened her shoulders, heading back to bed. As if an afterthought she remembered that she had left the curtains open. She turned around once more to close them, and came face to face with a pair of glowing red eyes watching her from the other side of the glass.

She couldn't move, couldn't breath. She actually felt her heart stop in her chest, and she struggled for air. She tried to scream, but there was no sound, only a pitiful mewling that even she couldn't hear. She clawed at the curtains, finally closing them and shutting out the horrible eyes, but she could still see them, they were burned in her brain.

Somehow she made it back to bed, diving under the covers and pulling them all the way over her head. She stayed this way all night, never sleeping, never even close to sleep. Sarah Williams was at that moment painfully certain that she would never sleep again.


	2. A Friend in Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you still having those bad dreams?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she saw Sarah's once again dart from one side of the room to the other before she answered.
> 
> "Yes," she said, "I think they're getting worse." Sarah had told Willow that she was having nightmares as a way to explain her lack of sleep, and in a way it was true. What was happening was definitely a nightmare.

A Friend in Need

 

Sarah didn't know why she had bothered coming to school; she hadn't been able to pay attention to a single class all day. All week for that matter. She had a trigonometry exam tomorrow and she knew she would fail it, not just because she couldn't keep her eyes open in class, but because there was no way she would get any studying done at home. The shadows had become more persistent, not even needing the lights off now to start shuffling around her room. Sarah smiled wryly, realizing that the shadows were merely adapting to their new situation. She hadn't turned the lights out in her room since seeing that creature outside her bedroom window, and that had been days ago.

She also knew she wasn't coming to school to learn, she was coming to escape that house. She continued to tell herself that she wasn't afraid of the shadows, but the same couldn't be said about the… other. It was still there, she heard it every night, scraping at her window.

She had learned a thing or two about it in the last few days. It only seemed to be able to get inside her house if she was alone. Even then it couldn't get into her room for some reason, so she never left it. She would hear horrifying sounds coming from downstairs, noises that made her hair stand on end, but she never went to investigate. She stayed firmly put on her bed, no one to talk to but her shadow companions. Even when the inevitable thumps and poundings began on the door outside her room, she never budged from the bed, doing her best to ignore the persistent entity that wanted so badly to meet her.

The onslaught would invariably disappear just as quickly as it began as soon as her parents came home, and there never seemed to be any physical sign that anything had ever been amiss. She supposed she should be grateful for that, for Karen would certainly blame her for any destruction to the house, but it also meant that there was no way she could ever talk to her parents about what was happening. There was no proof, was there? She wondered, not for the first time, if the entity did that intentionally to isolate her.

Sarah was in chemistry class now, and she looked around the room. The wall of windows to her left let in a steady stream of sunlight that cast deep shadows against the wall to her right, and some of the shadows were moving. She had seen it yesterday in English class as well, but had hoped it was just sleep deprivation. She knew now that it wasn't, and she sighed heavily. They had adapted again, and now they were following her. She wasn't threatened by them, but the mystery of them was beginning to take its toll on her. She wanted desperately to find out what they were, what they wanted of her, but how could she?

Feeling defeated, she slumped over her work table and absently began doodling on a piece of paper while she watched the shadows in her peripheral vision. A book bag thumping on the table beside her announced the arrival of her lab partner, and the only real friend she had made since coming to this place.

"So I thought that if we add a little more chlorine to the mixture, it would give it a kind of creepy glowy quality." the cheerful redhead began, speaking as though they had already been deep in conversation and not seeing each other for the first time that day, "It would be really neat and maybe we would win the science fair, and then wouldn't that show those snooty Waters twins? They think their so great just because they always win the science fair every year since fifth grade. Well not this year. This is the year that Willow Rosenberg topples them from their nerdy pedestal, and then I will be Queen of the Science Fair!" With that she raised a triumphant fist into the air, and brought it back down again quickly when she realized that Sarah wasn't looking at her and every one else in the room was.

Willow looked down at her friend and pouted. "Are you okay, Sarah?" Sarah looked up at her, her eyes darting around as she did so, and smiled at her sleepily. "I'm fine." she lied. Willow took one look at Sarah's pale complexion and the dark circles under eyes and knew the girl was definitely not fine.

"Are you still having those bad dreams?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she saw Sarah's once again dart from one side of the room to the other before she answered.

"Yes," she said, "I think they're getting worse." Sarah had told Willow that she was having nightmares as a way to explain her lack of sleep, and in a way it was true. What was happening was definitely a nightmare.

Willow decided to change the subject and glanced down at the drawing Sarah had been creating. "Wow," she said, "Who's the hottie?"

Sarah followed her friend's gaze to the paper in front of her and gasped, dropping her pencil as though it had tried to bite her. She had only been doodling, giving no conscious thought to what she put on the paper. So how was it she had created a perfect likeness of the Goblin King? There he was looking back at her, his features captured down to every detail. The careless sprawl of his hair, his windblown cloak, the amulet that adorned his bare chest, even the mocking grin she remembered so well had all been recreated in photographic perfection. Sarah liked to draw, but she had never considered herself particularly good at it, and certainly not this good. And why him? She hadn't thought of him in years. _At least not while you were awake_ , her mind chided.

In her peripheral vision she saw the shadows moving again, coming closer. It almost seemed as though they were drawn to the likeness on her desk. She glanced back up at Willow and found to her mixed horror and delight that the redhead was also watching the shadows. "Sarah," she whispered, "Are these shadows moving?"

"You can see them?" Sarah asked hopefully, not realizing how much she had feared deep down that they were imaginary.

"They'd be hard to miss," Willow answered looking around slowly, "We're surrounded by them." It was certainly not the strangest thing Willow had ever seen, but for a Thursday morning chemistry class it was definitely not normal.

"Don't be afraid." Sarah said, "I don't think they'll hurt us." Willow's eyes opened wide and she didn't have to ask the question that was plainly written on her face: _You don't **think?**_ She quickly overcame her fear and began analyzing the situation.

"I think they like your artwork." Willow said, confirming Sarah's observation that they seemed drawn to the picture she had unwittingly drawn. She reached out for the drawing and Sarah had to fight the urge to take it back protectively. Willow noticed the brief inner conflict in her friend's eyes, but said nothing. Instead she studied the drawing, mentally flipping through thousands of memories trying to find the one this mystery man tugged at. She was almost positive she had seen him somewhere before, probably in a book. One of Giles' books maybe? Her heart skipped a beat. If he was in one of Giles' dusty old tomes, then he was probably no one Sarah should be dealing with alone.

She tore her gaze from the picture and looked back up at Sarah's expectant face. "Sarah," she began gently, "Do you need help? Because I know people who can help, and you look like you need help." She stopped herself before she could start babbling and regarded the other girl carefully.

Sarah didn't know what to say. She wanted more than anything to talk to someone about what was happening. Willow seemed to be offering her that opportunity, but she was terrified that the other girl wouldn't believe her. Or worse, that she would think she was crazy. She closed her eyes and laid her head on her arms. Suddenly she was very, very tired. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Sarah said, her voice trembling with tears that threatened to break free.

Silence stretched between them for a long moment, and she thought that perhaps Willow had left. Then she felt a familiar tingling sensation in the air, a feeling she had only experienced years before, in the Labyrinth. Magic…she was feeling magic in the air. She threw her eyes open with a start, and found her own sharply pointed number two pencil floating in the air in front of her. She sat up quickly and looked at Willow, who was smiling so brightly even the shadows seemed to back away.

She closed her eyes and whispered something softly and the pencil dropped back to the table. "You might be surprised what I'll believe." the redhead said, her eyes still closed.

In the back of the classroom, unseen to either of the girls or anyone else in the class, some one was watching, and was very pleased with the situation. The unseen entity smiled affectionately at Willow. _I knew I could count on you._ Changing the teacher's seating plan so that Willow and the Williams girl would be lab partners had been a stroke of genius.


	3. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suddenly, the shadows began moving, creeping forward. "Good Heavens" Giles breathed. Buffy stood and stepped instinctively between the shadows and the rest of the people in the room. Sarah thought this odd, but since no one else seemed to think so she said nothing. Then Xander, Willow and Giles surrounded her in what she realized was meant to be a protective circle. Only Cordelia still sat at the table, her nails forgotten but not looking particularly frightened either.

The Library

 

Giles was fumbling through his desk drawer looking for a precious item that had thus far proven elusive. He pulled it all the way out, flinging aside paper clips and rolls of rubber bands, but to no avail. Sighing, he began scanning shelves, hoping that perhaps he had mislaid the object after its last use. Outside the steady chatter of teenagers came drifting into his sanctuary.

Giles frowned as Xander's voice rose above the others. "Hey G-Man! You get lost in there?" Giles sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to climb under the desk and hide until they all went home. Giving the office one last scan for his missing prize, he stepped back into public view and looked over the gang of teenagers who had invaded his library once again.

They were sitting around a large table on the main floor in front of the circulation desk. Buffy was speaking quite animatedly to Oz, her hand raised in the quick up and down thrusts that were the universal sign of staking, and Giles gathered she was telling him about last night's patrol. The short redhead nodded periodically, and Giles knew that this constituted an animated conversation on his end as well.

Cordelia was filing her nails, and occasionally looking up at Xander with disgust. Xander, surprisingly, was the only one in the library who actually held a book. To Giles' horror, the book was A Treatise on the Chromium Brotherhood, a very, very old, very, very rare book on demonology. Xander was holding it sideways as though it was a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

"Xander, what in heaven's name are you doing?" he said crossly, "That book is two thousand years old and worth much more than you."

Xander looked up from the book and smiled brightly. "Chill, G-Man, I'm just lookin' at this hot demon babe."

"Pig!" Cordelia spat without looking up from her nails. Because of this she missed the face that Xander made at her.

Giles sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose again. He could feel his headache growing by the second. "Xander," he said with the air of a man who is quickly reaching the edge of his patience, "I have asked you repeatedly not to call me G-Man, and not to ogle the female demons." He crossed the floor and glanced over the boy's shoulder. "Besides," he added, "that one's male."

Cordelia burst into peals of delighted laughter as Xander tossed the priceless book back onto the table and looked up sheepishly. Even Oz found the situation amusing enough to warrant a short chuckle. Trying to block out the voices in his head screaming at him to pick up the book and hit Xander with it, Giles turned his attention to Buffy. "How was your patrol last night?" he asked.

The lovely young blonde smiled and shrugged. "You know, staked a couple vamps that were stalking The Bronze, no biggie. It was actually a pretty dull night."

"So nothing out of the ordinary to report?" Giles prodded, breathing a sigh of relief. Perhaps there would be no apocalypse this week.

"Nope," his slayer answered, "All quiet on the western front."

Giles opened his mouth, unable to stop himself from asking the question that burned in his mind, although he knew he would regret it. "Buffy, have you actually read that book?"

"What book?" she asked, looking confused.

"All Quiet on the Western Front." He said, regretting the question already.

"That's a book?" She shrugged dismissively, returning to her one sided conversation with the red headed werewolf.

Giles closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, feeling as though the headache would soon push off the top of his skull. He quickly stepped behind the circulation desk and began to shuffle through drawers and shelves there. Finally he found his elusive treasure and clutched it to his chest triumphantly. With shaking hands he opened the little green bottle that boasted itself to be "the headache medicine." He swallowed two of the pills it contained and started to put the cap back on, paused for a moment, then took out two more pills and swallowed them as well.

He put the Excedrin bottle back in the drawer he had found it in and made a mental note of where it was, wanting never to have to search for it again. Looking back up at the teenagers lounging before him he wondered allowed "Don't any of you have a class to go to?"

"Nah, study hall." Cordelia answered, again without looking up. Now she actually had nail polish out and was painting her nails with it. Giles sighed, and removed the rarer and more expensive tomes from the immediate area.

"So, shouldn't you be studying?" he asked hopefully. His expectant gaze was met by four non-plussed ones, and no one bothered to respond. "Yes of course," he chided himself, his cultured British accent dripping with sarcasm. "This is a library, who in their right mind would study here."

"Sorry G-Man," Xander said, catching the look of despair on the Watcher's face. "I guess we were all hoping for a little excitement." The others at the table all murmured in agreement.

"Yes, well, after the events of the past few months I should think we'd all be grateful for a break in the excitement." Giles responded. Before anyone could say anything else, Willow burst through the library doors waving her arms and squealing excitedly. Giles pinched the bridge of his nose. His headache had nearly vanished, but he had a feeling it was about to be back at its full strength.

"Giles! Buffy! Thank goodness I found you!" Willow panted, and Giles stopped himself from asking her where else she'd looked. "I think something big may be going down." She continued, "Maybe not Master Vampire big or Chaos Demon big, but still big." Giles and the four teenagers already gathered looked from Willow to the pretty dark-haired girl who had come into the library behind her. It was Xander who finally asked the question they were all thinking.

"Uh, Will?" he said, gesturing behind her, "Who's your very confused looking friend?"

Willow grabbed Sarah by the arm and pulled her closer to the table. "Sarah, this is the gang. Giles, Buffy, Xander, and my boyfriend Oz. Hi Oz!" She gestured to each one as she said their name, and waved at Oz when she got to him. He smiled and nodded toward Sarah almost imperceptibly.

Cordelia looked up from her nails. "Hey, what about me?"

Willow wrinkled her nose. "That's just Cordelia." She said, and Cordelia huffed. She continued her introduction, speaking quickly. "Guys, this is Sarah Williams. She's new, she just moved here from Connecticut. She's the one that that has the big thing." Five faces stared at Willow, glanced at Sarah, unwillingly slid their eyes downward, and quickly looked at Willow again.

Sarah glanced sideways at Willow and smiled sheepishly. "Hi." She said softly.

Giles finally remembered himself and pulled out a chair. "Please, Miss Williams, sit down. I believe Willow is trying to tell us you have a problem of some sort. Is this the case?"

Sarah glanced at Willow questioningly. "I don't know if this is a good idea." She said.

"I told you, if anyone can help you, we can. Now just tell Giles and Buffy what you told me." Willow said, and smiled encouragingly.

Sarah looked from Giles to Buffy and back again, wondering what a skinny blonde teenager and a British librarian could possibly do to help her, but they seemed to genuinely want to hear her story and if nothing else just telling someone would make her feel less alone. So she told them everything, starting with the day her family moved into the new house and ending with chemistry class that morning.

When she was done she looked back up at Giles, expecting him to think she was insane. Instead, he looked as though he was deep in thought. He took his glasses off and cleaned them on the tail of his shirt, pulled them back to inspect them, and cleaned them a little more. Finally he put them back on and turned to Willow. "You say you saw these shadows as well?" he asked.

"Yes," Willow said, "They seemed to be drawn to this picture that Sarah drew." She held out the drawing and Giles took it from her, looking at it with great interest. "I think I've seen him somewhere before." Willow said, and Sarah spun around to look at Willow, wondering why she hadn't told her this earlier.

"Yes, he does look familiar." Giles agreed absently.

Buffy stood to look over Giles' shoulder. "Wow, he's a hottie!" Buffy commented and Willow smiled brightly. "That's what I said!" she agreed, and then looked regretfully at Oz, who just shrugged.

Giles ignored the teenage blather and continued his investigation. "Sarah, was this just a drawing you made up, or have you seen this man somewhere before?" Sarah was about to answer, but a subtle movement at the back of the room caught her attention. She turned her attention to the shadows against the far wall and waited. Seconds passed and the others in the room turned to see what she was staring at.

Suddenly, the shadows began moving, creeping forward. "Good Heavens" Giles breathed. Buffy stood and stepped instinctively between the shadows and the rest of the people in the room. Sarah thought this odd, but since no one else seemed to think so she said nothing. Then Xander, Willow and Giles surrounded her in what she realized was meant to be a protective circle. Only Cordelia still sat at the table, her nails forgotten but not looking particularly frightened either. Sarah caught herself wondering what sort of people these were, that they seemed to take this all in stride.

The shadows continued to make their way toward the table, specifically toward Giles who still held the image of the Goblin King in his hands. Sarah began to feel uneasy, much more so than she usually felt around the shadows, and scanned the library, looking for the source of her discomfort. Suddenly she screamed and everyone turned to look at her.

"I thought you said you weren't afraid of the shadows?" Willow said nervously and Sarah shook her head, one hand covering her mouth and her eyes wide.

"No, she whispered, but I'm afraid of him." She said pointing to a dark area between to large book cases. Everyone turned to see what she was looking at, and at first they saw nothing. Then they were able to make out a shape, made of darker shadows than the ones surrounding it. And then, as if its eyes had been closed and were now open, two glowing red orbs appeared in its face. Its features were impossible to make out, but feelings of hatred and rage seemed to emanate off of it in waves.

Behind them, a lone entity had been watching the entire exchange. Seeing the terror on Sarah's face made the entity decide that now was the time to make its presence known. The entity shifted its energy, allowing itself to be visible, and spoke for the first time. "Don't be afraid, Sarah. He can't come near you as long as you have an effigy close by."

Everyone turned at the sound of the ethereal, and yet familiar to all but Sarah, female voice behind them. Sarah looked around at the shocked faces surrounding her. Standing before them was the transparent figure of a young woman, with a pretty face and a kind smile. Her words were soothing to Sarah, and she did find herself less afraid, even though she was obviously looking at a ghost. Judging by the looks on her new friends faces, she thought it must be the ghost of someone they recognized. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw a single tear slide down Giles' cheek.

"Jenny…." He breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you aren't a Buffy fan and don't know who Jenny is, she was a schoolteacher who was also a Gypsy and Giles' girlfriend. She was murdered at the end of season two.


	4. The Gypsy King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't think Miss Williams is as new to supernatural events as you all believe." She said, and Sarah's eyes widened.
> 
> "What do you mean?" she asked, knowing there was only one thing she could be talking about.
> 
> Instead of answering the question directly, Jenny gestured around the room. "These things you see around you are shadow elementals. They are made of wild magic and are drawn to it. Gypsy magic is wild magic, and so we often use shadow elementals for our purposes. These shadows are drawn to you, Sarah, because you possess a very exotic brand of wild magic, a form so exotic that I believe it's not from this world."

The Gypsy King

 

 

"Hello, Giles." The apparition said sadly. Giles wanted to speak, knew he should say something, but inquiring after her health seemed redundant. Finally he settled on the most honest thing he could say.

"I've missed you, Jenny." The apparition shifted, and glided closer to the stunned librarian and the students who surrounded him. Jenny smiled as Buffy took a protective step forward. It was good to know nothing had changed.

She reached out with a luminescent hand and touched it to Giles' cheek. "I've missed you too, Giles, every day." She said.

Giles covered her hand on his cheek with his own, and fought back tears that threatened to break through at any time. Finally his famous British stoicism won through, and taking a deep breath he schooled his features into firm resolve. "Why are you here, Jenny?" he asked, "What do you know about what's happening to this girl?"

Jenny allowed her pale hand to linger on Giles cheek for another moment, and then turned away to face Sarah. "I know a great deal, actually." She said cryptically, "And not nearly enough." She began to circle Sarah, looking the frightened girl up and down.

Buffy sighed. What was it about spirits? Were they all sent to a special school to learn how to be cryptic? "That's great, Miss Calandar." She said. "Mind sharing what you know with us so we can do something about it?"

Jenny turned to Buffy, but instead of answering the girl's question she posed one of her own. "How have you been, Buffy?"

Buffy faltered. "Uh…fine?"

Jenny nodded. She didn't want to be cruel, but she thought perhaps Buffy needed to be reminded of a few things. "And Angel? How is he?"

Buffy paled, and looked as though she might throw up. Her face was picture of pain and guilt, and Jenny felt a stab of regret at being the cause of it. "He's dead." Buffy said softly. "I killed him."

Jenny only nodded, and turned back to face Sarah. Xander had watched the exchange with growing outrage, and the pain on his best friend's face sent him over the edge. "Look, Miss Calandar" he began, "We're all real sorry that Buffy's boyfriend killed you, but can we get back to the current problem?" He gestured around the room. The shadows had gotten closer, but the menacing figure had so far remained a safe distance away. "In case you haven't noticed, we have a library full of creepy shadows and a scared young girl whose life was completely normal up until a few weeks ago. Now what do you know about it and how do we help her?"

Jenny gave Xander a dazzling smile. She had loved all of these kids. Their passion and courage in the face of untold dangers had been a constant inspiration to her. It pained her not to be a part of their lives anymore. But Xander was right, there were more important things to think about now.

"I don't think Miss Williams is as new to supernatural events as you all believe." She said, and Sarah's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" she asked, knowing there was only one thing she could be talking about.

Instead of answering the question directly, Jenny gestured around the room. "These things you see around you are shadow elementals. They are made of wild magic and are drawn to it. Gypsy magic is wild magic, and so we often use shadow elementals for our purposes. These shadows are drawn to you, Sarah, because you possess a very exotic brand of wild magic, a form so exotic that I believe it's not from this world."

Sarah looked around confused. "Magic? I don't have any magic."

Jenny smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure you don't realize it, and I seriously doubt you'd know what to do with it if you did. But rest assured, its there. You're practically drenched in it. I can feel it flowing out of you and pulsating around you. It's so strong I can almost taste it. And so can they." Jenny pointed once again to the shadows around them.

"They won't hurt her, will they?" Willow asked, her voice trembling.

"No," Jenny said, "In fact, the magic around her is so strong I'm sure they see her as a kind of Queen. They would protect her from harm if they could."

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Jenny pointed to the dark figure that had almost been forgotten. "He, on the other hand, would kill you if he had the chance."

"Who…who is he?" Sarah asked, not wanting to look at the creature. Every time she acknowledged him in any way, she felt a pulse of hatred from him so strong it threatened to knock her off her feet.

"His name is Bothis, and he was a man, once." Jenny answered. "A very powerful Gypsy sorcerer. He became too powerful, and was corrupted by it. His evil was renowned among my people. He often took young women to his bed to satisfy his lust, and then killed them for pleasure, tossing their bodies to the animals. Some though, he kept alive, and tortured them in unspeakable ways. It was decided that he must be punished. It cost the lives of a half dozen gypsy elders, but eventually he was killed, and his magic bound. He was cursed to spend eternity as a spirit. Unfortunately, in death his soul festered, and he is now more demon than man, and has gained new power. It was one of many mistakes my ancestors made." With this Jenny glanced at Buffy, driving her unspoken apology home.

Giles looked from the frightened young girl to the menacing spirit and put a protective arm on Sarah's shoulder. He had never met this young woman before, but he felt an unwavering duty to protect her. "What does he want with Miss Williams?" he asked.

"He, too, senses the wild magic that Sarah possesses. He craves it for his own. He believes she carries enough of it that if he can steal it from her, he can reincarnate himself. Only now, he would be more powerful than ever, part man, part demon, and wielding magic of such force that he could perhaps rule the world."

"How can he steal it?" Sarah asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

Jenny shook her head sadly. "He would have to take you to place that is sacred to my people, tie you naked in the moonlight, and spill your blood."

Sarah cringed backward, instinctively looking to Giles for comfort. It was Xander who spoke next. "Does this Bother guy know all this? Cause he's standing right over there, and I'd hate to think we were giving him all the answers."

Jenny looked directly at the spirit in question. "He knows all of this and much more, I assure you."

Sarah stubbornly shook her head. "Why is all this happening now that I moved here. If I possessed this great magic like you say, shouldn't this guy have been after me before?"

Six voices chimed in unison, as if a single word could pass for an entire explanation. "Hellmouth."

"Oh." Sarah said, more confused than ever, but asked no more questions.

Buffy had had enough talking. It was time to act. "Okay, so this is easy. You say he's turned into a demon? I'm a demon slayer. Just tell me how to kill him and it all over."

Jenny turned to Buffy and shook her head. "I said he was part demon. He's mostly spirit, and there is no weapon or strength you possess that can destroy him."

Buffy sat back down, crestfallen. "So how do we get rid of tall dark and creepy, then?"

"I don't know," Jenny said, and gestured toward the drawing that Giles was still holding. "But I think he does."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, looking at the familiar face of the Goblin King.

Jenny stared at the image, fascinated. "He must be someone very powerful. You have an image of him in your room, and it has thus far kept Bothis out. You've been drawing pictures of him for weeks and not even realizing it. Bothis is obviously afraid of him. The shadows appear to be drawn to him. If just his image commands this much power, the man himself must be incredible." Sarah smiled, thinking _Incredible doesn't even do him justice._

"So do you know who he is?" Giles asked.

"I believe he may be the Gypsy King." Jenny answered. "I always thought he was a myth, but it's the only explanation I can come up with."

"The Gypsy King?" Sarah asked, her voice laced with incredulity that no one noticed.

Jenny began pacing the floor. "You've heard the legends of Gypsy's stealing children? Well according to our folklore, the legends started with him. But he didn't steal children, he took children that had been wished away. He was immortal, the first Gypsy. He was also ruler of the wild magic that we thrive on. He wielded great power and was said to have the ability to make any dream come true. His charm was said to be irresistible. But as I said, I thought he was a myth. Then Sarah came along, and now I'm not so sure."

"He's not a myth." Sarah said quietly, and everyone turned to look at her.

"How do you know that?" Giles asked gently.

"Because I've met him." She answered, and then smirked, "And he's not so charming all the time."

Giles made tea, and everyone sat around the table to hear Sarah's story. She told them everything, leaving out not the slightest detail, hoping that somewhere in her story they could find something that would help her. All the while, Bothis paced on the periphery, looking for an opening.

"So let me get this straight." Xander said. "You wished your brother away, some glittery guy in tights shows up, sings you a few songs, and sends you on your merry way?"

Sarah glared at him. "I wouldn't have put it quite that way, but yes. I suppose that's what happened.

Giles looked at Xander disapprovingly and then spoke. "So it's highly likely that you picked up the wild magic you now possess while in the…Underground did you call it?"

Sarah took a sip of her tea and thought for a second. "I guess that makes more sense than anything else." She said finally. However, her mind kept going back to a line in the book. _What no one knew was that the King of the Goblins was in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers_.

"So it appears all we need to do is summon this Goblin King and ask him to remove the magic from you." Giles said, looking at Sarah expectantly.

"That may be easier said than done." Sarah answered. "As far as I know the only way to summon him is to wish someone away to him." She looked around the room mischievously. "Any volunteers?"

"I'd like to nominate Cordelia." Xander said and Buffy and Willow both nodded their heads in agreement.

Cordelia began to protest but Giles put his hand up to silence her. "No one is getting wished away." He said. "There has to be another way, and we'll just have to find it."

They spent the next couple of hours pouring through Giles' books on mythology and demonology, searching for some reference to the Goblin King. To Sarah's surprise, they found more than one, explaining why both Willow and Giles had seemed to recognize him. However, none of them mentioned a way to summon him other than through the standard wish.

Suddenly, Sarah remembered a vague paragraph in the original Labyrinth book. She wasn't sure, but she thought it might be the answer they were looking for. She searched through the cardex, hoping against hope that the library held a copy of the book. To her surprise and delight, it did. Without a word, she ran to the shelf that held the book, and on finding it she shouted with triumph.

"I think we'll find what we need here." She called, holding the book up. No one had noticed when she left the table, and they all looked at her with surprise now. Their surprise quickly turned to horror. In her excitement, Sarah had forgotten to bring her picture of Jareth with her, and had ventured too far out of its circle of protection.

"Sarah!" Willow screamed, and Buffy leapt to her feet, running toward the startled girl. But it was too late; the shadow creature had his arms around her, and with a wicked laugh, they disappeared. All that was left was the book that Sarah had found and dropped in her terror. Cursing, Buffy bent down and picked up the battered red book and clutched it tightly, her unearthly strength causing the binding to bend to her rage.


	5. The King's Inspection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buffy stared at him in awe, even as he gazed at them with an air of quiet outrage. He had long platinum hair that flew in wild directions around his head. His skin was pale and luminescent, and his eyes intense. She realized that they weren't even the same color, and that seemed to make him all the more exotic. He wore dark blue leggings that showed off things Buffy would rather not think about, and a flowing white shirt that opened just below his chest. His feet and hands were both encased in leather, and over his shoulders was a cloak that seemed to be made of soft blue and white feathers. The wind had stopped, and yet still his hair and clothing seemed to hover around him.
> 
> Jenny had been right. This man was powerful, frighteningly so, and Buffy found herself speechless. Everyone was, except for Oz, who babbled a bemused, "Huh."

The King's Inspection

Without missing a beat Buffy ran into Giles office and returned wielding a wicked looking double edged axe. "Come on!" she shouted. "We have to follow them!"

"Follow them where?" Jenny said. "I can't even sense them anymore, how will you find them."

Giles rounded on Jenny. "Why can't you sense them?" he said frantically. "What does that mean?"

"Calm down, Giles." Jenny said gently. "He hasn't hurt her yet. He needs a sacred place and moonlight, so we have a few hours left. He's just taken her farther away than my ability to sense them, but I'm sure they're still in Sunnydale." _I hope_ , she thought. "I'll go and try to find them. In the meantime, I suggest the six of you find a way to summon the Gypsy King."

"Goblin King" Willow corrected.

"I don't care if he's the Disco King, Will. Just get him here." With that Jenny disappeared, and those left behind stared at each other before heaving a collective sigh and going back to the books.

"Sarah seemed to think that the book she found just before she was taken would have an answer for us." Giles remembered. "Buffy, do you still have it?"

"I left it in your office." She said, running to the aforementioned room. She returned with a small red bound book that Giles had never even realized his library carried. It was labeled as fantasy, and he spared a brief thought as to how many other so called fantasy books were in fact reality.

"The Labyrinth" he read, running his fingers over the gilded title. Quickly he began opening the book, scanning its pages for some glimmer of hope. He realized it was really quite a bit of girlish fluff, but strangely compelling none-the-less. He wondered if there might be an enchantment on the book that drew young girls like Sarah to find it. He pushed away these distracting thoughts and continued the task at hand, the others watching him expectantly. Finally he came upon a paragraph that seemed to be just what he was searching for. "Oh dear lord." He said.

"What's wrong, G-man?" Xander asked nervously.

"Can it really be as simple as that?" he asked no one in particular. Buffy looked at him quizzically and he turned the book around for her, pointing to the sentence in question.

"I wish the Goblin King was here right now." She read, and looked back up at Giles. "Is that it?"

Giles wasn't looking at her, but at something just over her left shoulder. The lights in the library began to flicker and finally went out. She turned around just in time to see the back window bang open, and the room was suddenly filled with a violent wind. Papers were scattered and thrown about and books toppled off their shelves. The shadows scurried around the room as if in terror. Suddenly there was a burst of light and glitter and before them stood the man from the picture.

Buffy stared at him in awe, even as he gazed at them with an air of quiet outrage. He had long platinum hair that flew in wild directions around his head. His skin was pale and luminescent, and his eyes intense. She realized that they weren't even the same color, and that seemed to make him all the more exotic. He wore dark blue leggings that showed off things Buffy would rather not think about, and a flowing white shirt that opened just below his chest. His feet and hands were both encased in leather, and over his shoulders was a cloak that seemed to be made of soft blue and white feathers. The wind had stopped, and yet still his hair and clothing seemed to hover around him.

Jenny had been right. This man was powerful, frighteningly so, and Buffy found herself speechless. Everyone was, except for Oz, who babbled a bemused, "Huh."

The Goblin King regarded the gathered teenagers and their librarian, and circled them slowly, looking them each up and down. Finally he stepped in front of Buffy once more and smiled when she lifted her chin to him defiantly. "My word," he said mockingly, "A slayer! How quaint. I would have thought this world would have figured out how to tame its vampires and demons by now." He reached out and touched her gleaming blonde hair. "Slayers are always such pretty things. What a pity they don't last long enough to enjoy it."

Buffy tensed, but his gaze left her and traveled to Giles. "And what have we here?" he asked. "If this is a slayer, then surely you must be her Watcher." Giles didn't answer, but it bothered him that this being seemed to know so much about them, and yet he had never heard of the Goblin King before today. As if reading his thoughts the Goblin King continued. "Oh, I've met your kind before. I believe the bones of a Watcher still adorn the bottom of one of my oubliettes." He stopped and whispered in Giles ear menacingly, "I trust you're a bit more reasonable than that fellow."

Again, he turned his attention to the next in their group. He looked at Willow, his eyes traveling her up and down, and then seemed to lean over and sniff her. Willow trembled but held her ground. "I smell magic on this one." He said. "Could there be a witch beneath this pretty exterior?" he asked.

Willow swallowed, and pushed away the voice in her head that was squealing _He called me pretty!_ "Um…I'm not much of a witch...umm…" she fumbled for something to call him that was the least likely to offend him, "Your Majesty? Sir?"

To Willow's delight he smiled, a very genuine smile, and continued. "Oh, but you are." He said, running a finger along her cheek as though tracing invisible veins. "A very dark and powerful witch, waiting to be born." Willow shivered.

He turned next to Oz. "Werewolf?" he asked simply.

"Ye." Oz nodded.

"Hmm." The Goblin King agreed, and moved on with his inspection. Turning to Xander he said. "There is no power here at all." Xander looked down and shuffled his feet, feeling deflated, but the Goblin King continued. "But there is great courage, and courage can often be more powerful than any magic." Xander looked back up at the mystical being, and to his wonder and surprise, the Goblin King bowed to him, very slightly. "I have great respect for courage." He said.

Finally he turned to Cordelia, who had been staring at him this whole time with unconcealed lust. He circled her once, twice, taking in every inch of her. Her long dark hair and slight frame reminded him of…no…he would not think of her. Thinking of her lead to pain, and he had had enough of that over the past two years. "There is courage here, as well." He said, and Cordelia smiled. "But a selfish courage that serves only yourself. Tell me, my pet, why are you a part of this company of demon slayers?"

Cordelia shrugged. "I dunno." She said. "I just got sucked into it and can't seem to suck my way back out." The Goblin King raised a glittering eyebrow and looked at the strange young woman with mocking amusement. "Perhaps I can help you with that." He said, and she blushed.

Giles had finally had enough, and moved to step between the Goblin King and Cordelia. "Aren't you the least bit curious as to why we brought you here?" he asked.

The Goblin King laughed. "Brought me here? You say that as if I had no choice." He waved a dismissive hand and continued, "No, I simply heard your summons and, having nothing else to do, decided to answer it." His mismatched eyes met Giles' grey ones and his face was cold. "It was my own curiosity that brought me here, Watcher, not you."

Giles held his ground admirably. "Be that as it may," Giles continued. "We did have a reason for calling you."

The Goblin leaned against the circulation desk, feigning disinterest. "And what might that be?" he asked.

"There is a girl that needs help, Your Majesty, and we believe you may be the only one who can."

"Please, let us dispense with titles, Rupert. You may call me Jareth." Jareth attempted to look as though he was not distressed by this news, but the truth was he had an uneasy feeling. He had not missed the presence of the shadow elementals, and he knew that only very strong wild magic could have drawn so many of them to one place. Not many people in this world had so much magic, and he could think of only one that might think to call for his aid. "Now tell me who this girl is, and what help you think I can be to her."

"I believe you've met her before, Your..Jareth, her name is Sarah Williams." At the sound of her name Jareth's eyes shot upward. He quickly replaced his mask of indifference, but not before Giles saw the emotions that had marched across his face; anger, pain, fear, love?"

"And what of young Sarah?" Jareth asked guardedly.

"She came back from your world infused with wild magic." Giles said, and Jareth nodded. This was not news to him, considering he had been the one to give it to her in the first place.

"What of it?" he asked.

"Now that she's taken up residence on the Hellmouth, that magic has attracted the attention of a demonic spirit, one that would use that magic for his own purposes."

Worry was now evident on Jareth's face. "And where is she now?" he asked.

"I'm afraid he's taken her," Giles said.

Jareth was no longer trying to hide his concern. He stood up and began pacing the floor. "Well why are we wasting time?" he demanded. "We must go after her! We must stop this!"

Giles regarded the Goblin King, mentally wondering at his concern for the girl. "I'm afraid it's not as simple as that. We don't know where they are." Jareth rounded on him, fury in his eyes, but Giles was unflinching. "And if we don't find her by tonight, he means to kill her." Giles watched with curiosity as the Goblin King paled.


	6. Dark Crystals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You suppose?" Buffy said. "How can someone carry off so much of your magic and you don't even know how she got it?"
> 
> "I think I know how." Said Cordelia, who had been flipping through the red bound book. In an overly dramatic voice she began reading "For what no one knew was that the King of the Goblins was in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers." She looked up and smiled brightly. "She had your magic because you gave it to her!"

 Dark Crystals

 

Jareth glared at the crystal in frustration, finally flinging it against the side of a bookshelf. The crystal shattered into thousands of glittering shards and joined the pile of such debris already littering the library floor. "Would you mind not doing that?" Giles pleaded. "Someone has to clean that up you know."

Jareth glanced at Giles menacingly, and with an exasperated wave of his hand the glass shards were gone. "Hey, can you teach me that?" Xander asked. "Or at least come help me clean my room later?" Jareth growled and summoned yet another crystal.

He had been in this light forsaken world for over an hour now, and he was still no closer to finding Sarah. He had summoned crystal after crystal, but all remained dark, keeping their cursed secrets well hidden. It was obvious that this Bothis creature had somehow blocked Sarah from his sight, and yet he continued to summon crystals in the vain hope that one would give some glimmer of a hint as to where to begin looking for her.

This newest crystal was as useless as the last, and Jareth angrily threw it as well. To his chagrin the Slayer reached out and caught it in mid-flight. "Look, Mr. Goblin King, I know you're worried about Sarah..."

"I am not worried!" Jareth interrupted just a little too quickly. "I'm merely unaccustomed to waiting."

"Uh huh." Buffy said, "Whatever you call it, I understand how you feel. But destroying the library isn't going to help us find her any faster."

Jareth began pacing. "At least I'm trying to find her!" he snarled. "I don't see any of you doing anything."

Giles put a reassuring hand on the Goblin King's shoulder. "As we've already explained, Jenny is out searching for her as we speak. He needs a place that is sacred to the Gypsies, and Jenny knows where they are. It's only a matter of time before she finds which one he's taken her to."

Jareth's eyes narrowed. "Forgive me if I have less faith in your dead lover than you do." He sneered. He felt a stab of regret at his sharp words when he saw the pain that flashed in the other man's eyes. He made no apologies, however, but sulked into the nearest chair.

Willow sought frantically for a way to dispel some of the tension, and decided that asking questions was the best way to go about it. "So how did Sarah get all of this Magic? Did she just pick it up while she was in your world?"

Jareth hesitated. "Yes, I suppose that's what happened."

"You suppose?" Buffy said. "How can someone carry off so much of your magic and you don't even know how she got it?"

"I think I know how." Said Cordelia, who had been flipping through the red bound book. In an overly dramatic voice she began reading " _For what no one knew was that the King of the Goblins was in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers_." She looked up and smiled brightly. "She had your magic because you gave it to her!"

Buffy turned to the Goblin King, her eyes wide. "Oh my god, you're in love with her! You're old enough to be her…her…" she fumbled for a word that meant something older than ancient.

Jareth, knowing it was pointless to deny it any longer, decided his best bet was to go on the offensive. He stood quickly, towering over the Slayer, and sneered. "You of all people have no right to lecture me on the nature of May/December romances." Buffy glared at him, daring him to say more.

"It's not the same." She argued. "Sarah was only fifteen when you met her!"

Jareth's eyes narrowed. Did she really want to provoke him this far? Very well then. "And if I'm not mistaken, you were merely sixteen when you let a  _vampire_  take the bloom from your tree." Buffy's eyes widened in horror. In a menacingly quiet voice he added, "At least I'm  _warm_  and old."

A feral growl escaped Buffy's lips and she lunged at the Goblin King. If she had had a stake, she would have plunged it into his heart. As it was she threw all of her strength against him, attempting to wrestle him to the ground. He made an elegant motion with his hand and she was peeled off of him, suspended in midair. His face was a study in fury, and Giles knew it was time to step in before things went too far.

He grabbed the Goblin King's arm and stepped in front of him. Their eyes met and Giles pleaded with him silently. When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. "I know what it is to worry about someone you love." He said, "I know what you're feeling right now."

Jareth searched Giles' eyes for signs of duplicity, but found only a kindred spirit. This man did know how he felt, perhaps all to well. There was a bond between the Watcher and his Slayer, as is always the case, but Jareth thought perhaps this bond went deeper. He saw in Giles' eyes that he had an inordinate fondness for his slayer that bordered on love. Letting her risk her life every night must be torture for him.

He nodded his silent understanding and slowly lowered Buffy to the ground. "My apologies, Miss Summers." He said. "I should not have spoken so…bluntly." His apology was addressed to Buffy, but his eyes never left Giles. Buffy looked from the Goblin King to her Watcher, and nodded.

"It's okay." She said, "Maybe I was a little rude too. Friends?" She smiled brightly and stuck out a hand. Jareth looked at it curiously, and to her surprise he drew it to his lips and kissed it gently.

"I sincerely hope so." He said, and flashed a brilliant smile in return.

Suddenly the library doors burst open and the closest thing to a goblin Jareth had ever seen in the Aboveground bounded through. He was a stumpy little bald man with big ears and an unpleasant face, with a voice to match. "Mr. Giles!" Principle Schneider bellowed. "I hope you have a good excuse for having all these children here after hours."

Before anyone could answer he discovered Jareth, and his mouth opened wide in indignation. "What in God's name are you supposed to be?" he demanded. He turned once again to Giles, but pointed to Jareth wildly as he spoke. "What kind of a freak show do you think I'm running here, Mr. Giles? How dare you bring some leotard wearing gender bender into my school!"

"I suggest you watch your tone, sir." Jareth growled. "And curb your tongue before you find yourself somewhere distinctly unpleasant."

Schneider spun around to face Jareth. "Is that a threat?" he screamed. "Are you threatening me in my own school? Because I know the mayor! I can have you deported. I can have both of you deported!" he said, his finger wagging back and forth between Giles and Jareth.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Jareth said, and threw a crystal at the ugly little man. Without thinking Schneider caught the crystal and immediately disappeared.

"Oh my god!" Willow said, "What did you do to him?"

"Exactly what I said I would do. I sent him someplace unpleasant." Jareth turned and sat back down in his chair, muttering to himself, "Leotards indeed. Call them breeches or pants or leggings or  _anything_  but leotards! And I should think they make it perfectly clear what my gender is!"

Willow and Xander and even Oz giggled at the sulking Goblin King and Giles shot them a disapproving glare. Jareth didn't notice. He summoned another crystal and was trying once again to find Sarah. "Come on, love, where are you?" he said under his breath.

"She's in a clearing in the woods behind the cemetery." An unfamiliar female voice said, and Jareth looked up to find himself face to face with a ghost. "Come on!" she said, "We have to hurry. It will be dark soon."

 


	7. With A Little Help From My Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This isn't a clearing." Willow whispered.
> 
> "No, I took us a little ways away from the spot the apparition showed me." Jareth answered, his voice low. "We may still have the element of surprise."
> 
> "Surprise is a good element," Xander agreed, "one of my favorites. Right up there with fire and water."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank those who are reading and leaving Kudos. A review or two wouldn't go amiss.

With a Little Help from My Friends

 

Jareth jumped from his seat. "Quickly!" he said, "Show me where this clearing is!" He headed towards the open window when Buffy grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"You're not going alone." She said determinedly.

Jareth looked at her patiently. "This is not your fight." He said.

"Anything that happens in my town is my fight. Besides, she came to me for help, I can't turn my back on her." The look on her face was enough to tell him there would be no dissuading her. He sighed and looked to Giles for assistance, but he saw the same look of resolve on the Watcher's face.

"I'm coming, too." Giles said. Xander and Willow moved to either side of Giles.

"We're all going." Xander said. "That's just the way things work around here."

Jareth sighed heavily and looked back to Buffy. To his great annoyance she was smiling, obviously quite pleased with herself. "It's nice to have friends." She said.

Jareth turned away and headed once more towards the window. "I wouldn't know." He growled. Reaching the window he turned back around to face them. "Well if you all insist on coming, come on. We haven't got all night." Gesturing toward Jenny he said "You, there, concentrate and think of this clearing we're going to." Jenny did as she was told and Jareth closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them and nodded. "Got it." He said. "Now the rest of you, gather round me and hold hands."

Giles, Willow, Xander, Oz, and Buffy moved quickly to join him at the window and joined hands in a circle around the Goblin King. From across the room they heard a frustrated sigh and Cordelia made her way across the room to where they stood. Pushing her way between Buffy and Xander she caught the stares everyone was giving her. "What?" she asked in obvious annoyance, "There's no way I'm staying in this creepy library all alone in the middle of the night."

Xander smiled and said "We're glad to know you got our back, Cordy." Cordelia rolled her eyes but said nothing.

Jareth turned in a slow circle, looking the group over. "I'm not sure what we'll be facing when we get there, but if this being knew to shield Sarah from my sight, then he must know that I'm here. The fact that he was powerful enough to shield her makes me worry about what other powers he may have."

"Are you sure you can defeat him?" Buffy asked.

"I'm sure of nothing." Jareth said simply, "But I'm willing to bet my life on it."

Buffy nodded, understanding completely. She was learning to like the Goblin King more and more. Underneath his gruff exterior he was just a guy in love, and she knew from experience that love was a powerful weapon. She nodded again, and smiled. "Okay, then." She said. "Let's go kick some dead Gypsy demon guy ass!"

Jareth looked at her quizzically and smiled in return. He had never seen such a concentration of courage in mortals, and he found it put him slightly out of sorts. These people, most of them children, were willing to risk their lives and face unknown dangers to save a girl they barely knew. It went against everything he knew of humans, but he welcomed the change. He reached out with his hands, putting one on Giles' shoulder and the other on Xander's. "Everyone close your eyes." He said.

They felt a rush, like a strong wind whipping around them in every direction. When it stopped they heard Jareth whisper "Okay, open them now." They were in the woods, and it was very dark.

"This isn't a clearing." Willow whispered.

"No, I took us a little ways away from the spot the apparition showed me." Jareth answered, his voice low. "We may still have the element of surprise."

"Surprise is a good element," Xander agreed, "one of my favorites. Right up there with fire and water."

Jareth ignored him and continued. "My hope is that when we find them, Bothis will be far enough away from her that I can transport in and remove her without him knowing it. Then I can deal with him knowing that she is safe. Unfortunately, I don't hold much hope that it will be that way. More than likely, I will have to confront him directly, distracting his attention from her. You can then rescue Sarah and take her as far away from here as possible."

"They can rescue her." Buffy said. "I'm staying with you."

"No!" Jareth hissed, and then his voice softened. "She will most likely be chained, and they'll need your Slayer strength to free her."

"Okay." Buffy said, and Jareth turned away. They both knew she had no intention of leaving him to face Bothis alone, but Jareth had neither the time nor patience to argue with her about it.

"Everything's dark." Xander said. "Which way do we go?"

Jareth closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. He sent his thoughts out in every direction, trying to sense Sarah. Suddenly he had her. She was utterly terrified, and Jareth could feel her terror washing over him. But what made him weak in the knees was the pain. His Sarah was in terrible agony. The Scooby's watched as he clenched his fists in rage. Buffy and Giles looked at each other and then back at the seething Goblin King.

"Jareth?" Buffy said. "Are you okay?"

"She's this way." Jareth said darkly and began walking. "And he's hurting her."

* * *

 

Sarah had awakened confused and frightened. She tried desperately to remember what had happened and where she was. She remembered being in the library with Willow and the others. They had been trying to find a way to call Jareth. She had run to shelf looking for the "Labyrinth" book, and she had found it. What had happened after that? Willow had screamed. Why?

Then she remembered, and began looking around in horror. The creature! She had forgotten the drawing of Jareth that protected her, and she had gone too far away from it. The creature had taken her. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She didn't know where she was; it was cold and dark. She was laying on something rough and painful and there seemed to be rocks digging into her back. She tried to move and realized her hands and feet were chained. The more she tried to move, the harder the bits of stone beneath her bit into her flesh. Her bare flesh, she realized. She seemed to be covered with a sheet of some kind, but beneath that she was completely naked.

She looked around but could see no sign of the creature that had brought her here. She struggled once again to free herself from her bonds, but only succeeded in causing her chains to chafe painfully against her wrists and ankles.

Suddenly she was overwhelmed with a feeling of cold dread. He was here. Her eyes darted around, looking for the creature, but she could find him nowhere. Nevertheless, she knew he was close by. Her heart was beating so hard she thought it would escape her chest, and she was having a hard time breathing. She knew she had never been this terrified in her life.

She felt hot breath against the skin of her neck and turned her head to face it. She screamed as she came face to face with the glowing red eyes that had haunted her for weeks. She felt her mouth being covered, though it was so dark she couldn't see what was covering it. She continued to scream through the obstacle, but she made no sound. Finally she calmed enough to stop screaming, but her eyes were wide with terror.

"So, you've decided to wake up, pretty one?" The voice seemed to slither in her ear and a moan escaped her lips unbidden. "Yes, more of that!" he said and she felt a burning pain in her shoulder. She realized he had touched her with something very hot. She stayed quiet and this seemed to anger him. In one fluid motion he pulled the sheet from her naked body and burned her again, this time in the more tender flesh of her neck and she cried out. She felt, more than saw, his smile.

"He will be here soon, my pet. And I want him to hear you moan, and scream, and cry. I want him to see you writhing in pain!" With that he burned her again, this time in the unblemished skin of her left breast. Although she tried desperately to remain quiet, the pain was unreal and she couldn't hold back her scream. He laughed, and continued to burn her.

"Why are you doing this?" she cried, tears of pain and humiliation rolling down her cheeks. "What have I done to you?"

"Don't flatter yourself, sweet one." He sneered. "You are nothing to me. However, you are everything to him, and that makes you quite valuable."

"Him who?" she demanded, and was rewarded with another burn, this time to her belly. She screamed again and again he laughed.

"Why, the one who gave you all that delicious magic." The creature said, touching his heated torture device to the outside of her thigh, eliciting yet another scream. "He'll come for you, pet. And when he does, he will watch you die!" She expected this pronouncement to be punctuated with another burn, but instead she felt a cold hand caress the inside of her knee. This was much, much worse, and she cried out again.

"I don't know who you're talking about!" she screamed, sure that she would lose her mind if this went on much longer.

Suddenly her eyes were assailed by an unearthly light as a bright orb formed above her in the air. Now she could see the creature, and he spun around looking for the source of the light. Then she heard another voice coming from the darkness at the edge of the clearing, an achingly familiar voice that both soothed and frightened her at the same time. "I believe he's referring to me." The voice said. She turned in the direction of the voice and felt a sudden jolt of relief as the Goblin King stepped into the clearing.


	8. Ancient Grudge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ah, so the Goblin King has come at last." The shadow sneered, his voice terrifying. It was unearthly and dark, yet frighteningly familiar. "And to think, Jareth, I was beginning to doubt you." The shadow figure turned back to Sarah and held up a strangely glowing hand. He reached out one dark finger and touched Sarah's calf, causing her to scream.
> 
> Jareth's face remained stoic, showing none of the rage that was building inside of him."You speak to me as though you know me." Jareth said calmly. Even as he attempted to hide his fury his eyes moved to Sarah once again. Her eyes were closed and she was trembling. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. He could feel her fear, but even more so her anger. Even in her current situation, her defiance was plainly evident. She would be okay, for now, but he had to find a way to get her out of this.
> 
> "Why, Cousin." The shadow answered. "I'm hurt that you don't remember me. We were so very close once."

Ancient Grudge

 

"Jareth!" Sarah cried, her eyes wide. He looked at her and his fists clenched involuntarily at the sight. Her face was streaked with tears, and her cheeks flushed in anger and humiliation. Red welts were beginning to form from the torture she had endured. Jareth wanted nothing more than to run to her and free her from her chains; to take her in his arms and comfort her. But before he could make a move his attention was drawn to the shadow that hovered above her.

"Ah, so the Goblin King has come at last." The shadow sneered, his voice terrifying. It was unearthly and dark, yet frighteningly familiar. "And to think, Jareth, I was beginning to doubt you." The shadow figure turned back to Sarah and held up a strangely glowing hand. He reached out one dark finger and touched Sarah's calf, causing her to scream.

Jareth's face remained stoic, showing none of the rage that was building inside of him."You speak to me as though you know me." Jareth said calmly. Even as he attempted to hide his fury his eyes moved to Sarah once again. Her eyes were closed and she was trembling. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. He could feel her fear, but even more so her anger. Even in her current situation, her defiance was plainly evident. She would be okay, for now, but he had to find a way to get her out of this.

"Why, Cousin." The shadow answered. "I'm hurt that you don't remember me. We were so very close once."

_Cousin?_  Jareth's heart stopped momentarily. It couldn't be. In all the universe there was only one person that could speak to him thus, and his mind could not conceive of his presence, here in this mortal world.

"Bothvar?" Jareth asked, dreading the inevitable reply.

"Finally you drag your head out of the clouds." The shadow answered. "How have you been, dear Jareth? I trust you are well."

Jareth's teeth were clenched, whether in rage or fear he was not sure. He had already felt responsible for Sarah's current situation. After all, if this creature was after the wild magic that she had been granted while in his kingdom, then this was partly his fault. But something about that scenario had never made sense to the Goblin King. He had never heard of any ritual that could steal wild magic that had been given rightfully, let alone one as strange and gothic as this. Now he knew it was all a ruse, a deception meant to draw him out. It had worked perfectly. "Release the girl." He growled. "Your quarrel is with me."

"But Cousin," the shadow answered petulantly, "If I let the girl go, how will I ever get my revenge?" With that he burned Sarah again, this time leaving a deep red welt on her right flank.

Jareth lunged toward the shadow, but was stopped by an invisible barrier. Bothvar laughed as Jareth pushed against the barrier, fruitlessly attempting to break through. Again he burned Sarah, this time holding his hand to her flesh longer than before. Her screams tore at Jareth's heart. He pushed harder against the barrier, but it didn't budge.

"You're wasting your time, Jareth." Bothvar told him. "This barrier was made with earthly magic, and it doesn't bend to your will the way everything else in the universe does." The shadow pulled itself up, standing taller than before. Suddenly the shadows that formed it seemed to pull themselves into shape, and take on mass. Before his eyes the shadow transformed into the vision of his once beloved cousin, whom he had exiled from the underground hundreds of years before.

Sarah looked at the man that hovered over her. Long dark hair spilled over broad shoulders and framed a pale face that was remarkably similar to Jareth's. His eyes were deep brown, and flickered with the light of dark secrets and barely controlled evil. Sarah shuddered. Through her pain she had only managed to hear parts of the conversation, but she understood that this was some relative of Jareth's who now had reason to hate him. What she didn't understand was what it had to do with her.

"Please?" she begged, appealing to what she mistook for humanity in the now human form. "Please just let me go? I mean nothing to you."

Bothvar laughed, the sound slithering over her like snakes. "You seek to find a human soul that will take pity on you." He sneered. "And yet I have no soul at all. As for letting you go, why would I do that, when keeping you here is causing him so much pain." He grasped her upper arm, his burning touch leaving a circle of burned flesh. Sarah didn't cry out but new tears spilled down her face. Bothvar laughed again.

"Such a strong little thing." He said, looking at Jareth. "And lovely too. I can see how she stole your heart." He burned her again, nonchalantly, as though it were an afterthought. Sarah wanted to understand what he had just said, but pain clouded her thoughts. "You sent me to this horrible world, Jareth." Bothvar continued. "You took away everything I had, my magic, my title, my family, everything I loved."

Jareth was pacing the perimeter of the barrier, like a caged animal, testing it for weaknesses. Faintly he heard the rustle of movement behind him, and remembered the humans that had accompanied him here. He realized they were attempting to circle around and behind the clearing. He schooled his expression, not allowing himself to react. Perhaps they could find a way in if he kept Bothvar distracted.

He stopped moving and met Bothvar's gaze. "You loved nothing and no one." He spat. "You only pretended to love in order to manipulate. How many of our kind died because of your deceptions, your lies?" Jareth stopped and closed his eyes, trying to collect himself and surprised at how easily the old wounds had been opened. Ancient memories flooded his mind as though they happened yesterday. He could smell the blood of the fallen, hear their screams, see their faces as they lay dying and dead in once green fields stained red. The war had ended centuries ago, but apparently the pain of it still lingered just beneath the surface.

When he opened his eyes again they were smoldering, and to his surprise Bothvar laughed. "Oh, Jareth, you always were so predictable. Your righteous indignation, your kingly wrath, what great sport it used to be to watch you rise to every occasion. How I've missed you, cousin. Nevertheless, it was you that banished me to this hell, and you who took away everything that I held dear. And so I feel obliged to return the favor."

Buffy and her friends had made their way to the other side, and Giles and Willow held their hands to their side of the barrier. Their eyes were closed and Jareth could tell they were chanting. The area around their hands seemed to be glowing. He was careful not to look at them, but kept his eyes fixed on Bothvar. He had to stall him, had to give the humans more time. "What do you mean?" Jareth asked, his tone neutral.

"I mean to hurt you, Cousin Dear." Bothvar sneered. "I've been waiting for this chance for hundreds of years, but you seemed unreachable. Then I felt wild magic enter my territory, not just any wild magic, but yours. It seemed I could smell you wherever I went. Imagine my surprise when I found this young girl, just dripping with your power. How very like you, Jareth, to mark your territory in such a way. What a lovely thing, the sort of thing you only do for someone you care for very deeply. I knew I had my chance, so I took her, and here you are. And I mean for you to watch while I hurt her, while I take her innocence, while I take her life. I mean for you stand powerless while the thing you love is taken from you. I mean to see you crushed under the weight of your own broken heart. That, Jareth, is what I mean."

With that Bothvar turned, meaning to carry out his threats against the girl. What he found was an empty slab and four broken chains. Behind him, he heard Jareth laughing. He wheeled around, his face a mixture of rage and confusion. "Dear Cousin," Jareth spat, relishing the fact that he had the upper hand for once, "I thought you learned when we were children  _never to take what's mine_!" This last was more of a growl than a statement, and Jareth lunged toward Bothvar, the barrier having fallen moments before. He was across the clearing in a heartbeat, but Bothvar had already disappeared. Jareth sighed.

"He's gone!" Jareth called, and the Scoobies emerged into the clearing, Giles carrying Sarah in his arms. Jareth made his way to them quickly, looking at Sarah's still form and then at Giles. "Is she…." He began, unable to finish the sentence.

"She's sleeping." Giles answered.

Jareth nodded, and took her into his own arms. He spared a moment to survey her battered face, and the burns that covered her naked body. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her face filled with fear and confusion and she began to struggle. "Shh, it's okay, Sarah, he's gone." Jareth said soothingly and she stopped fighting him. Then a new realization hit her.

"Oh God, I'm naked" she rasped and began to struggle once again. Jareth willed a blanket to appear and she found herself covered with soft thick fleece. She calmed down once again and allowed her head to rest on his shoulder. Soon her breathing was even and he knew she was asleep once again.

"Everyone gather round me and put your hands on my shoulders." He said.

"Where are we going now?" Xander asked.

"I assumed we would go back to your study," Jareth answered, "Unless you know of a better place."

"Can you take the directions out of my mind like you did with Miss Calandar?" Buffy asked.

"Of course." Jareth responded.

"Then we'll go to my house. I have a feeling this guy won't quit, and we have a lot to talk about. We might as well be somewhere comfortable while we do it."

"Very well then." Jareth conceded. "Concentrate on your home." He closed his eyes and once he knew where he was going they disappeared.

When they reappeared he found himself standing in some sort of hallway in front of a staircase that led upward. The house was quaint but neatly appointed. He heard a woman's voice coming from another room. "Buffy? Is that you?" Footsteps carried the voice closer and a handsome middle aged woman emerged from an arched doorway at the foot of the stairs. She seemed to survey their group quickly, her eyes lingering on the Goblin King for a moment before falling to the battered girl he held in his arms.

"She's hurt?" the older woman asked and Jareth nodded. Without missing a beat she took Jareth's elbow and led him into another room. "Here, put her down here." She motioned to a yellow couch that sat against a pair of windows. Then she turned to Buffy. "Just what's going on, young lady? It's too soon for the world to be ending again."

"Not the whole world this time, Mom." Buffy said. "Just little parts of it."


	9. Battles Long Past and New Ones Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jareth meets Joyce and some questions are answered.

Battles Long Past and New Ones Beginning

 

 

Joyce Summers had come to terms with a lot of things since learning several months ago that her daughter was the 'Slayer.' Being a single mother is a difficult task in its own right, and no time is more difficult for a mother than helping her daughter get over a bad breakup with her first love. Joyce would have welcomed such mundane events, but was instead treated to the wonderful experience of learning that Buffy's boyfriend was not only a bicentennial undead bloodsucking vampire with a soul, but that consummating his love for her daughter had caused him to lose said soul, turn evil, kill people, and attempt to destroy the world. Joyce had found this turn of events particularly disturbing.

That said, she was quite pleased with how well she had adjusted to the situation after the initial shock had worn off. She had even learned to stop protesting when Buffy left the house in the middle of the night armed with axes and swords and came home covered in vampire dust or other things that were even less pleasant and even more difficult to wash out of her clothes. She had adapted, reluctantly, to the strange relationship her daughter had with her undeniably handsome middle aged librarian. More than once she had made dinner for Buffy's friends as they plotted midnight massacres of demon hatchlings. Joyce was proud to call herself a modern, open-minded, enlightened sort of mother.

Even so, the sight of the strange man in leather and linen crouched over the unconscious naked girl on her couch gave her cause to furl her brow in consternation. He was a very odd sort of man; he reminded her vaguely of the glam rockers whose posters had hung on her wall when she was a teenager. He was kneeling next to the couch doting over the unconscious girl and whispering. Gently he removed his soft leather gloves and began running his hands over the cuts, bruises and burns on her face. It was an intimate touch, and Joyce was not entirely sure she was comfortable with it. When he pulled back the blanket that covered her and began to move his hands down to the burns on her neck she was sure she wasn't comfortable.

"What's he doing?" She asked no one in particular.

Pausing in his downward decent but not bothering to look up, the strange man answered her. "I'm attempting to heal her wounds." He said in an accent very similar to Giles.' Perhaps they were related? After a second look she decided that no, this man was definitely not related to Giles. There was something distinctly not human about him. This realization surprised her. It was odd to think that she could now gauge humanity when only a few months ago she didn't know the need for such a skill existed. She was equally surprised to see that the minor cuts and bruises on the girls face were fading before her eyes.

"I didn't know vampires could heal." She said, not knowing why she had just assumed that the man was a vampire.

"They can't." Buffy answered, "And he's not. A vampire I mean. He's a…..a…." she turned a confused face to Giles, who shrugged.

"For light's sake I'm a goblin of course." The man said, not taking his eyes away from the girl on the couch. He completely missed the eye widening and mouthing of the word 'Goblin?' that took place on the faces of the teenagers behind him. He went back to his work, grinding out a terse command as he did so. "Would you all mind leaving the room so I can finish this in peace?"

Giles seemed to wake from his reverie at these words. "Yes, yes of course." He said, ushering Joyce and the reluctant teenagers out of the room.

"Now wait just a minute." Joyce said, resisting Giles' efforts to shoo her into the kitchen. "This is my house, and I don't know who you are, but I'm not about to leave you alone with this young woman while she's in this condition." Finally the strange man looked up at her.

His eyes, she discovered, were the strangest thing about him. One as blue as the ocean, one the color of rich honey, and both blazing with power and mystery and seduction. When he spoke, it was with the soft clipped tones of someone attempting to curb their anger. Goblins, she decided, were a lot sexier than she would have given them credit for. "Madaam," he said tightly, "I assure you my intentions are completely honorable. This young woman has been very badly injured and without attention she could develop an infection and die. Now if you would be so kind…"

Joyce cut him off, refusing to be intimidated in her own home. "Please, carry on with your...healing." she said. "I'll be sitting right over here, and I won't make a sound." Jareth stared at her for a long moment, but when she showed no signs of backing down he sighed. Like mother like daughter he supposed.  _Why am I constantly surrounded by obstinate women_ , he wondered. He ran his pale fingers through his paler hair and went back to work.

Joyce made herself comfortable in the chair next to the couch and the others quietly left the room. They made their way into the kitchen where at least four of them began chattering and giggling as though it were just another day. Xander began the customary plunder for cookies and squealed with delight when he found a large bag of chips instead. Giles pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. How was it he had been exiled from the room with the children? Rifling through the kitchen cabinets he found teabags, sugar and, Gods be praised, a bottle of Excedrin.

In the living room Jareth continued to heal Sarah, while Joyce looked on. He lowered the blanket inches at a time, careful not to expose too much. He was thorough, making sure that he found every hidden bruise and burn, but he was respectful as well. "What happened to her?" She found herself asking though she had promised to be quiet.

"She was tortured," he said darkly, "And almost killed." His response seemed angry, but she didn't think it was directed at her. She remained quiet as he progressed to the lower portions of her legs, and was satisfied that the unconscious girl was not in any immediate danger, at least not from the…goblin. She rose to join Buffy and her friends in the kitchen. Stopping at the door she turned to address the strange man again. "I think I smell Giles brewing tea. Will you join us when you're done?"

Her words were said pleasantly and with a smile. Jareth recognized the attempt at kindness, but also the gentle command beneath them. What she was really telling him was 'Now that you're done you can come with me because I'm not sure I trust you enough to leave you in here alone.' He smirked, but nodded. It was her home, after all, and she seemed to be a gracious woman. Pausing to make sure that Sarah was completely covered, and whispering a few soft words in ear, he rose and followed Buffy's mother into the kitchen.

As they came through the door Giles held out two steaming mugs. "Tea?" he asked and Joyce and Jareth took them graciously. Passing a bowl towards Jareth he offered "Sugar?"

"I don't suppose you have any honey?" Jareth asked and Joyce shook her head.

"Sorry." She said.

"Pity." Jareth commented, spooning sugar into the hot liquid. When he was done he looked up to find seven pairs of eyes watching him inquisitively. "Yes?" he asked, his face stoic.

"I believe its time for the question and answer portion of our program." Xander said, and Jareth looked at him quizzically.

"Does he always speak this way?"

"Unfortunately," Giles sighed, ignoring Xander's pout. "The lad is right, though, I believe you owe us a few explanations."

Jareth momentarily assumed his customary haughty expression. Who were these mortals to demand explanations of him? But then he thought of how they had risked their lives to help him save Sarah, and decided it was the least he could do. "Very well, then, what would you like to know?"

Giles opened his mouth to speak but Joyce cut him off. "Well for starters, who the hell are you and who is the girl in there on the couch?"

The next few minutes were spent bringing Joyce up to date, and she seemed to catch on quickly enough. When they were done, Jareth turned his attention back to Giles. "So where were we?"

Again Giles tried to speak and again he was cut off, this time by the one person he would have least expected. "Dude, you're a goblin!" Oz said. "How cool is that?"

Jareth blinked, attempting to understand the question. "Of course I'm a goblin." He finally said, "I'm the Goblin King."

"I thought that was just a title, like the Lion King." Xander said unhelpfully.

"Xander, the Lion King was a lion." Willow corrected him, and Xander smiled knowingly.

"Just in the cartoon, but in real life he was just a guy. We studied about him in history. King Richard the Lion King."

"You mean Richard the Lionheart." Willow corrected again, trying not to giggle "The Lion King was a whole different thing."

As the Goblin King looked from one to the other in total confusion, Cordelia sighed disgustedly. She tapped the table in front of Jareth to get his attention. "But you don't look like a goblin." She told him.

"And precisely how many goblins have you seen?" Jareth asked her.

Cordelia hesitated. "Well…none I suppose. But from what Sarah told us earlier I thought they were little slimy brown icky things."

"Ah, yes." Jareth nodded. "The 'icky things' as you put it are the lowest of the goblin classes. They are more like pets than people. Goblins come in many shapes and sizes. Those on the low end of the spectrum possess no magic to speak of and very little intelligence. Mortals generally find them quite unpleasant, which is why I summon as many of their kind as possible when a challenger faces the labyrinth. It gives them a bit more motivation when they think that they represent what their child will be turned into should they fail."

"But don't they always fail?" Willow asked.

"Of course not, most of them win. My labyrinth is difficult, but not impossible, not if the challenger is well motivated. I have no wish to keep the children who are wished to me, merely to make them more appreciated."

"But some do lose." Joyce said.

"Yes, but mainly because they failed to try."

"And those children are turned into goblins?" Buffy asked.

"Only because the human life span is so much shorter. I consider it a consolation prize for being wished away and abandoned. They aren't turned into low goblins of course, nor high goblins, such as myself. They tend to populate the goblin middle class. If Sarah told you of her time spent in the underground then she may have mentioned her friend Hoggle. He was a wished away child whose mother didn't even attempt to run the labyrinth, though he doesn't know that."

"So you're a high goblin?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, the royal family is the highest class, and the only goblins who possess my type of magic. Once there were many of us, but now only a handful remain." These last words were spoken softly, as though they were difficult to form.

Seeing his chance to finally have a word in edgewise, Giles spoke. "I gathered from events in the woods that Bothis is not just a dead gypsy?"

Jareth shook his head, clearing the fog of memories that had suddenly filled it. "Oh, I'm quite sure he took up residence with the gypsies and used them to gather earth magic, but that was not his beginnings. Once upon a time his name was Bothvar. He was my cousin and, I thought, my dearest friend."

"What happened?" Buffy asked gently, recognizing the thinly disguised pain in the Goblin King's eyes.

"He betrayed me." He answered thickly. "He betrayed all of us. At that time there lay a kingdom to the south of mine ruled by creatures called the Cree. They were large, beastlike creatures who while vocally inarticulate possessed a singular intelligence and the ability to communicate telepathically with each other and with those of us with enough magic to hear them. They also possessed the power to call down rocks and stones. Luckily for us they were a peaceful race and we were amicable neighbors. That was until Bothvar began his scheming. It was only later that we learned how it all started. Bothvar had organized the assassination of the Cree King and Queen. Then he convinced the Cree that my father, who was the Goblin King at that time, had ordered their assassination. They demanded blood, and Bothvar told them exactly when to strike us."

"But why?" Joyce asked. "Why would he turn against his own people?"

"Why does anyone ever do anything evil? For power. I try to tell myself that he never meant for things to go as far as they did, that he never intended the full scale war that nearly wiped my people out, but I really don't know." He paused and summoned a crystal to his fingertips, manipulating it back and forth and staring at it as he continued to speak. "They struck during our Harvest Celebration. It's a holy time in my world, when thousands gather at the end of summer to celebrate and give thanks for our impending harvest. In those days it was a joyous occasion, attended by goblins of every station. The entire royal family, the nobility, and thousands of others were gathered together in an open field. We never suspected anything, and so we were completely defenseless when the attack came in the middle of the night.

"Without warning, stones began to fall from the sky. They were small at first, a curious annoyance. Then they started to get bigger, and to come faster. The camp was in chaos, people running for their lives but with no shelter to run to. As pebbles became stones and stones became boulders, people began to die. All around me, my kinsmen were being crushed. Several of the nobility who possessed magic began to form a shield to protect the lower classes. It was their only salvation, but it left the casters completely defenseless. The rest of us gathered weapons and went in search of the cause. Just over the hill we discovered the Cree army, standing shoulder to shoulder chanting the cry that called the rocks.

"I drew my sword and the others followed my lead. Together we plowed through them, spilling their blood in hot waves. I remember the satisfying way it splashed down my arms and onto my boots." He paused then and looked up at Buffy, knowing that she might understand that statement. She nodded, a thin smile on her face. Satisfied he looked back to his crystal and began to speak once more.

"Some of the Cree warriors stopped chanting and tried to fight back, but most resigned themselves to call the rocks and wait for death. We massacred them, killing all but a handful. It was from one of these, a prince of the Cree named Darro,a younger brother to the newly crowned king, that we learned what had happened, and discovered my cousin's duplicity. He halted the rocks, and together we sadly surveyed his losses. His army lay drenched in blood in the wake of our righteous fury.

"Together we crossed over the hill and back to the Goblin camp. My heart froze at what I saw. I remember sinking to my knees, tears burned the bruises on my face. Even Darro cried in anguish, for while he had lost an army, our devastation was so much more. In front of us lay thousands of my people dead and dying. Not just the nobility, not just the soldiers, but commoners, men, women, children. So many had been crushed by the stones that it was difficult to move through them without stepping on a body. I made my way to the center of the camp, passing entire families who had been crushed while huddling together, mothers with their babes in their arms. Darro wept openly. Bothvar had told his people that only the Royal family and their armies would be camped here.

"I didn't have it in me to be angry with Darro or his people. My rage was directed at one place only. When we finally made it to the center of the camp, I felt my world fall down around me. Many of the middle and lower goblins escaped harm that day thanks to the shield that had been created by my kinsmen. However, they had sacrificed their lives for it. All of the Nobility, all of the High Goblins who had not followed me into battle, were dead. My father and mother lay huddled together, along with my only sister, who was merely a child. All of my family, all of my kinsmen, were dead at my feet.

"It took those of us who were left five days to bury our dead. What once was our holy gathering place is now a cemetery." Jareth stopped here, needing to collect his thoughts before he could continue. Long buried emotions threatened to break free, and it took all of his willpower to suppress them again.

It was Buffy who finally broke the silence. Justice was her forte, and she was eager to hear how he had dispensed it. "What did you do with Bothvar?" she asked.

"I wanted to kill him. As the new King it was my right to kill him, and I should have. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I found him back at the castle. He had not joined us for the gathering, claiming that his pregnant wife Ilena was feeling under the weather. He seemed genuinely shocked when he learned the magnitude of the battle. He had naively believed that the Cree army would focus its attack on the Royal family, sparing everyone else. He had hoped to be rid of my father and myself, leaving him to rule the kingdom. In deference to Ilena, who I was sure had no part in his schemes, I spared his life, but I stripped him of his magic and banished him to your world, where I thought he could do no harm."

"I guess you were wrong." Cordelia pointed out.

"It appears I was." Jareth conceded.

A voice spoke from the back of the room. "So he came here and he discovered my people." Jenny said, gliding towards the group sitting around the table. "He took advantage of them, learned to control their magic, and took his revenge on you by spawning the legends which malign your name and that of your race."

"Jenny, I wondered where you were off to." Giles said, although truthfully he had forgotten her until that moment.

"I tried to follow Bothis…I mean Bothvar. I'm afraid I didn't have much luck, but I don't think he's done with us yet."

"Indeed not," Giles said, "Although I no longer think he's after Sarah's wild magic.

"No." Jareth confirmed. "He's after revenge, and he's using Sarah to get it. You see, it's impossible just to hand over wild magic. Gypsies may be able to manipulate it to some degree, but they don't actually possess it. That is a talent reserved only for High Goblins."

"What are you saying?" Giles asked, removing his glasses and cleaning them fervently.

"I turned Sarah into a High Goblin, a member of the ruling class. As the king I have that power. Bothvar knows I would only have given such a gift to someone whom I intended to make my Queen."

A gasp from the doorway alerted them to Sarah's presence, and they turned to find her standing there with her blanket tucked neatly around her and her mouth agape. "You did what to me?" she asked, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Sarah…I…"for the first time in many years the Goblin King found himself unable to speak.

"Take it back!" Sarah shrieked. Willow jumped from her seat and put her arm around Sarah's shoulders, trying to calm her down, but Sarah shrugged her off. "Take it back now, damn it!"

"Sarah, I can't. What's done is done." Jareth said flatly. He was completely unprepared for the slap Sarah landed across his cheek, and he leaped to his feet to tower over the girl menacingly. To his chagrin, she wasn't the slightest bit intimidated.

"You bastard." She spat. He tortured me, who knows what he would have done to me if Buffy hadn't saved me." She held up her right arm, displaying a nasty burn that had not yet healed completely. "This is your fault, Jareth."

"Sarah," he said gently, "Try to understand."

"There's nothing to understand, Jareth." The name was a curse. "You gave me this magic that attracted this demon who obviously hates you, and now he's using me to get to you. And now you tell me I'm not even human anymore?" With these last words she began to sob, and he reached out wanting only to hold her and make her understand. She pushed him away so forcefully that he nearly stumbled. "Don't touch me!" she screamed. "Don't come near me! Just go away!" With that she turned and ran out of the room, Buffy and Willow close behind her.

Jareth moved to follow her as well but Giles caught his arm. "Let her go." He said, knowing he needed to get the Goblin King away for a while so that he and Sarah could both cool down.

Jareth looked at the other man harshly. "But I have to explain" He said.

"Explain what?" Giles answered. "She obviously doesn't want your explanations. Buffy and Willow will talk to her, and afterwards, she'll need time to think. In the meantime, you could use a drink, and so could I. I know just the place, so do what ever it is you do and let's go."

Jareth hesitated. "I should stay to protect her." He said.

"Yes, because you were so useful before." Xander muttered, and Giles shot him a warning glare.

"We'll look out for her." Oz said, a little more helpfully, and Giles nodded his agreement.

"And Buffy will be here. Now come on, let's go." Jareth seemed to think about it a moment longer, and then nodded.

"You know how to call me if something happens?" he asked, looking at Xander and Oz.

"Yes, now go before G-man starts pinching his nose again." Jareth nodded once more, placed his hand on Giles' shoulder, and the two men disappeared.

Joyce stared at the space the two men had recently occupied and sighed. "Maybe I should try to get transferred to Cleveland." She said. "Nothing exciting ever happens in Cleveland."


	10. Catching Up in Caritas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jareth runs into an old friend.

Catching Up in Caritas

 

Jareth followed the map in Giles' mind and found himself in a dark, noisy, smoke-filled room. The first thing that came to mind was that it was some kind of trap, that somehow Bothvar had intercepted his transport. Then he heard the music, and the terrible, terrible toneless voice that accompanied it, and decided he must be in hell. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he turned to the side looking for Giles, only to have two rough hands laid upon his silk jacket.

"Hey, buddy, can't you read?" said the voice that apparently belonged to the hands. One of them let go and pointed to a neon lit sign on a nearby wall which read  _No Dimensional Transportation Inside the Club, Please._

Jareth read the sign and, unimpressed, looked back to the owner of the hand that still had hold of his jacket. He had to look up, because the man stood at least a foot taller than the Goblin King. He was also blue with a shaggy mane of red fur than hung off his head and over his shoulders. The witty rebuke that had been on Jareth's lips died immediately, and instead all he could say was "What are you?"

"I'm a Cavlor Demon, prissy pants, what the hell are you?" the cyan hued beast responded.

A demon? Jareth's eyes widened. He raised his hand to summon a crystal, intending to send the demon to the bog when a hand reached out and caught him. "Not here." Giles whispered tightly in his ear. To the demon Giles said "We're, uh, terribly sorry old chap. We're from out of town, you see, and didn't know that particular rule. I assure you it won't happen again."

The large blue demon nodded and said sharply, "See that it doesn't."

As he walked away, Jareth wheeled on Giles. "What are you doing? He's a demon!"

"Yes, and this place is a sort of neutral zone, where demons and non demons come together peacefully. Look around you." Jareth did as he was told and realized that he was surrounded by creatures of every shape, size, color, and facial hair configuration, with a few humans thrown in here and there to spice things up, apparently. If Jareth had been familiar with Star Wars, he would have been reminded of the Mos Eisley Cantina. Unfortunately George Lucas had never been to the underground, so the sight was a complete shock to him.

"Isn't this against your code as a Watcher, Giles?" he asked.

Giles pulled off his glasses and began cleaning them on his shirt tail. "Well, yes, I suppose." He said inspecting them carefully, "but I won't tell the council if you don't" he finished, flashing Jareth a brilliant smile and putting the glasses back on. "Besides, where else was I supposed to take you? You wouldn't exactly fit in at the local sports pub."

Giles gestured at Jareth's hair and clothing. Jareth opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by a strange voice from behind him. It was masculine, but with a strangely feminine edge to it. "Well, well, well," the voice said. "I heard there was a commotion; I should have known you were here, Ripper." A green hand was thrust between Giles and Jareth, and Giles grasped it in a friendly greeting. Jareth looked up from the hand to see its owner was a green skinned creature with fiery red eyes and small black horns protruding from his forehead. Even odder than this was the bright orange leisure suit he was wearing. Jareth smirked.

"Its just Giles now, I'm afraid. Ripper has been retired." Giles said smiling. He gestured  toward Jareth, about to introduce him, but the green skinned man cut him off, his eyes wide and his jaw agape.

"Prince Jareth!" the green man gasped, bending into a courtly bow. "Your Highness, what brings you to our little neck of the woods?"

Jareth cocked an eyebrow at the green stranger, cursing that he couldn't read him the way he read humans. "Do I know you?" he said.

The green man laughed. "Picture me with much longer hair, fur instead of linen, and a club in my hand."

Jareth looked at him closely, and suddenly his eyes widened in recognition. "Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan! I haven't seen you in centuries! I thought surely you had been executed for your cowardice by now."

"Oh no, I managed to avoid that for years before finally finding my way here. By the way, it's just Lorne now. And I see your fashion sense has not improved with time." Lorne informed him.

"Nor has yours." Said Jareth, smirking again at the leisure suit. "And I'm not Prince Jareth anymore, I'm King Jareth."

"Really?" Lorne said, and then his face darkened at the implications. "Oh...I'm sorry, Jareth." Jareth waved off the condolence and turned back to Giles, who was squinting his eyes most peculiarly.

"So you two know each other I take it?" He said.

"Yes, we're from the same hell dimension." Lorne answered, smiling.

"Hell dimension?" Jareth asked, clearly offended.

"It's a human thing, my goblin amigo. They call everything that isn't Earth a hell dimension." Lorne answered.

Jareth looked accusatorily at Giles. "And why, I wonder, do humans think they're so special?"

"I've often wondered that myself." Giles said.

"Well anyway, it's good to see you again, both of you." Lorne said graciously, and spread his arms wide. "Welcome to Caritas, my little slice of heaven." Just then a scaly creature with spikes on its head took the stage and began to sing…badly.

Jareth winced. "Heaven?" he asked.

Lorne put a finger in the ear closest to the stage and answered "Well, it's an improvement from my people." He said.

"Lorne," Jareth replied, "I've met bog slime that was an improvement over your people."

Giles paled at the apparent insult but Lorne smiled brightly. "Thank you, Jareth, you always did understand!" He clapped Giles and Jareth on the back and began ushering them to the back of the room. "Come, we've got centuries of catching up to do!" Passing the bar he tapped it with the palm of his hand. "Miguel, I'll be in my office. Bring me a sea breeze and keep em' commin."

"Yes, sir." The bartender answered. "Would your friends care for anything?"

"A bottle of twelve year old scotch for Ripper here, the finest we have," he looked at Giles, who smiled happily, "And…" he hesitated, looking at Jareth in consternation. An idea came to him and his face brightened. "And a bottle of Cuervo Gold for my friend the Goblin King."

"Right away sir!" the bartender said as they began walking again.

"Tequila?" Giles asked.

"It's the closest thing I've found in this world to Goblin Moonshine." Lorne answered. "Hey Jareth, remember that time we got into your Father's stash?" he asked motioning for them to sit in a booth in the darkest corner of the club.

"How could I forget?" Jareth chuckled, "We were so drunk we couldn't stand up straight! Then we heard mother coming down the hall to my chambers and we panicked."

"You tried to teleport us out to the Labyrinth, but you missed and plopped us right down in the throne room while your father was holding court!" Lorne howled with laughter at the memory. Even Jareth was laughing, and Giles couldn't help but join in.

"What did your father do?" Giles asked?

"I thought surely he would kill us." Jareth said, smiling as the drinks were put on the table. Lorne began opening bottles and pouring as Jareth finished. "Instead, he cleared everyone out of the throne room and gave us a stern lecture on the evils of drinking."

"He sounds very responsible." Giles said, taking a sip of his scotch and sighing blissfully.

"Ye," Lorne said, "But then he summoned another bottle of moonshine and three glasses!" Lorne and Jareth broke into peals of laughter, and Giles tried to picture the Goblin King when he was young and life had not yet turned him bitter.

"Do you remember what he said was the most important thing to remember about drinking?" Jareth asked, wiping tears from his eyes.

Lorne mimicked a deep accented voice. "Remember boys, never, ever transport drunk…"

"You could end up headfirst in the Bog of Eternal Stench!" they finished together, their laughter almost, but unfortunately not completely, drowning out the crescendo of the spiky demon's song.

Lorne sobered even as he took a sip of his seabreeze. "Your father was a great man." He said.

Jareth nodded, "One of the greatest men I ever knew." He answered, taking a sip of his Tequila. He smiled, "You're right, it does taste like Goblin Moonshine."


	11. He Moves Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jareth and Giles drunk. What more could you ask for?

He Moves Me

 

Jareth put down the shot glass and glared mournfully at the nearly empty bottle of tequila. It didn't have quite the kick of Goblin Moonshine, but it was still pretty damn good. He held the bottle up and shook it. There seemed to be something floating in the bottom. "Lorne," he said, his head wobbling only slightly, "I believe something has died in this bottle." The statement was punctuated with a gurgully hiccup.

"That's the worm, Jareth Babe," Lorne said. He was only slightly less drunk, but he wore it better, as he was much more accustomed to the condition. "It's supposed to be good luck if you eat it.

Jareth looked at his green friend dubiously. "Good luck for whom?" he said.

"Well," Giles said, lifting his head from the spot on the table where he had put it to hold down the object in question when he realized it was spinning, "Obviously not for the worm." The three men stared at each other silently for a moment, and then burst into raucous laughter that lasted conspicuously longer than the joke called for. When they were finished, Giles laid his head back on the table and moaned softly. Jareth hiccupped.

"Well, guys and gals," Lorne began, putting down his seabreeze, "As much fun as this had been, don't you think its time you told me why you're here?"

"Quite right," Jareth said. He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again, his expression displaying multiple shades of confusion. "Why are we here Giles?"

Giles opened his eyes, but didn't bother to lift his head this time. "Because," he slurred, "you turned the woman you love into a goblin, you're dead cousin wants to use her to get revenge, and she's infuri…infuri…she's pissed."

"Oh, yes, that's it." Jareth said sadly. He would have been just as happy not to remember all of that.

"Well, that does sound like a bit of a pickle." Lorne said smiling. "You always did have a way with the ladies, as I recall."

"Mmmrrpp." Jareth agreed, leaning his head on the wall.

"Well, I can see you're upset about it. What you need to do is tell your old buddy Lorne all about it."

"It's a long story." Jareth said.

"And you need to sober up, so let's hear it." Lorne coaxed.

Jareth spent the next several minutes explaining the situation to Lorne, starting with Bothvar's deception and ending with the empty bottle of tequila. It did indeed take several minutes to tell the story, during which time Jareth's goblin metabolism kicked in and processed most of the alcohol in his system. By the time he was done with the story, he was only slightly tipsy. Giles, having no such talents, was still very drunk. To his credit, he was carrying it well, and there was only a small puddle of drool on the table.

"So your cousin Bothvar caused all that trouble?" Lorne asked incredulously.

"The very same." Jareth acknowledged.

"I always thought he was shifty." Lorne said.

"And now Sarah hates me." Jareth mourned, turning the empty tequila bottle over in hands and watching the poor dead worm slosh from side to side.

"Oh, I'm sure she doesn't hate you." Lorne said. "But what were you thinking, turning her into a High Goblin. I thought that was against the law, anyway."

"Lorne, there's only a handful of us left. There's no one left to enforce the law except me." Jareth pointed out, "And I'm being punished enough."

"Point taken." Lorne agreed. "I can understand why she's angry, though. I mean, the least you could have done was give her some flowers, take her to dinner and a show."

"I offered her her dreams!" Jareth protested. "Besides, I'd planned to come back one day when she was older and explain myself to her."

Lorne nodded. "That was a good plan, except you got the sequence wrong. You should have explained yourself to her and  _then asked_  if she wanted to be turned into a goblin."

"Well," Giles slurred, "Hindsight is twenty twenty."

"And foresight is even better." Lorne added, swirling the ice in his empty glass absently. Then he looked up at Jareth and grinned. "Do you still sing?"

Jareth blinked at the apparent change of topic. "Um…yes?" he said.

"Great," he said standing up. "Think of a song, preferably something modern. This crowd hates the retro stuff." He pulled Jareth up out of the booth and began dragging him towards the stage.

Jareth tried to pull away. "Lorne, for lights sake what are you doing?"

Lorne stopped, realizing he would have to explain to get Jareth on stage. "I've discovered a new talent since I came to L.A." he said, "I can read people's aura's while they sing, and sometimes I can get a glimpse of their futures."

"And what if I don't want to know my future?" Jareth asked.

"Then hold your ears closed while I tell Giles, now come on." Without further explanation Lorne pulled Jareth on the stage. Taking the microphone he stepped in front of the crowd and smiled his best "Entertainer" smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, demons and demettes, it's with great pleasure that I introduce to you my good friend, Jareth, the Goblin King!" Lorne put the microphone back in its stand while the audience applauded. "Knock em dead, tiger." He said to a dumbstruck Jareth.

He was leaving the stage when Jareth hissed behind him, "How recent?"

Lorne turned, momentarily confused. "Huh? Oh, last thirty years or so." Jareth nodded and turned to pick up an acoustic guitar that leaned in its stand at the back of the stage. Then he pulled a stool up close to the microphone and sat down. After idly strumming the guitar for a few chords to make sure it was in tune and to gather his thoughts, he began to play.

Giles, who had come to the front of the room to hear him sing, laughed as the melody made its way into his memory. "I never would have had him pegged as a country music fan." He said to Lorne, who was now standing beside him. Jareth continued to play, and finally began to sing.

If you had not have fallen,

I would not have found you,

Angel flying too close to the ground.

I patched up your broken wings,

And hung around awhile,

Trying to keep your spirits up,

And your fever down.

I knew someday that you would fly away,

For loves the greatest healer to be found.

So leave me if you need to,

But I'll still remember,

My Angel flying too close to the ground.

Fly on; fly on past the speed of sound,

I'd rather see you up,

Then see you down.

And leave me if you need to,

But I will still remember,

My angel flying too close to the ground.

Jareth finished the song to thunderous applause. Smiling and bowing slightly he put the guitar away and quietly walked off the stage. He approached Lorne and Giles, who were both smiling broadly. "Willie Nelson?" Giles asked, suppressing his laughter.

"He moves me." Jareth replied evenly. He turned to Lorne, one inquisitive eyebrow raised. "Well?" he asked.

"Very good," Lorne replied. "If you stuck around I could probably make you famous."

Jareth sighed in exasperation. "What about the aura and my future and all of that?"

"I thought you said you didn't want to know." Lorne said.

"Lorne…" Jareth growled.

"All right, all right." Lorne surrendered. "As far as your aura goes, no surprises there. You're a moody bastard."

Jareth hung his head in defeat. "And my future?"

"Well, I don't want to spoil it for you." Lorne smiled, "But for once I have no dire warnings."

"So everything will be fine then?" Jareth breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Well, maybe not everything." Lorne said, "But just this one time I see no forthcoming apocalypse." Jareth only stared and Lorne decided simplicity was a virtue. "There's still trouble ahead, but I believe your lady friend will be fine." He said.

"Just fine?" Jareth said, slightly disappointed.

"Hey, the oracle has spoken, amigo. The rest is up to you."

Jareth nodded his acceptance. It was, at least, a ray of hope to keep him going. He was about to ask Giles what time it was when suddenly his head snapped up and his eyes widened.

"What is it?" Giles asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's Sarah." Jareth answered. "She's calling out to me. Something must be wrong. Come on, we've got to go." Without another word he and Giles disappeared from the room.

"Well goodbye to you too, old pal, nice to see you again." Lorne said to the empty air. Then he smiled. "You better invite me to the wedding."


	12. What the Heart Wants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the men are away getting drunk, Buffy spends a little time with Sarah.

What the Heart Wants

 

 

While Jareth seemed to have forgotten his troubles for a time in Caritas, Sarah was having a bit more difficulty. She had run from the kitchen and up the stairs, but once there she didn't know where to go. After all, she had never been to Buffy's house before. She stood on the second floor landing crying before finally growling in frustration and beating her fists on the wall. "It's not fair!" she cried.

"What's not fair?" she heard the voice behind her and turned to see Willow and Buffy coming up the stairs behind her. "Is it the good looking king that's head over heals in love with you that's not fair?" Buffy continued as she reached the top of the stairs, "Or the fact that he came all the way from another dimension to rescue you and healed you of wounds that might have been life threatening before being screamed at and slapped for his trouble?"

"Buffy!" Willow gasped, her eyes wide in shock. "How can you talk to her like that after what she's been through?" Willow took Sarah's hand and led her into Buffy's room. She motioned for Sarah to sit on the bed and she did so mutely. Sarah was still staring at Buffy in disbelief.

"I'm just sayin is all." Buffy continued. "I mean, she acts like this is all his fault."

Sarah opened her mouth to defend herself but Willow was faster. "Buffy, he turned her into a goblin! I mean, I don't really know what that means, but...but..." she frowned, and then remembered where she had been going with her argument. "How would you feel if Angel had just decided to turn you into a Vampire without asking you?"

"I would have staked him of course." Buffy answered.

Willow smiled triumphantly. "See!"

"No, I don't see!" Buffy went on. "I mean, Vampire and Goblin are obviously not the same thing, are they?"

Sarah had been watching the exchange silently and finally decided to speak for herself. "He had no right to change me into anything!" she said. "But he did, and that's why this thing is after me. It's his fault all of this is happening."

Buffy turned to face Sarah again. "Oh, it's his fault huh? We're going all the way back to that particular moment it time out of all the thousands of moments just to call it his fault? Why stop there, let's go a little farther. Who wished your brother away and sent you both to Goblinworld in the first place? Maybe it was that persons fault? Who called on him for help and then walked all over him when she got what she wanted? Maybe it was that person's fault." Buffy was pacing the room, her arms flailing wildly as she spoke. She knew she was ranting, but she didn't care. She had had just about enough of Sarah's 'poor little me' attitude.

Sarah looked up at Buffy, unable to believe she was lecturing her this way. "But he turned me into a goblin!" Sarah said, tears rolling down her face.

Buffy leaned into her until their faced were nearly touching. "Read my lips: SO WHAT?"

"Buffy!" Willow gasped again. She couldn't believe her best friend was acting this way when obviously Sarah needed to be comforted right now.

"What Will?" Buffy said, turning to her best friend. "So he turned her into a goblin? Big deal. You think I had any say over the matter when I woke up one day and found out I was a slayer?"  
"But Buffy, that was your destiny." Willow said softly.

"So maybe this is too, Will." Buffy responded, gesturing to Sarah.

"Now wait a minute." Sarah chimed in. "I refuse to accept that anything involving the Goblin King is my destiny. He's evil! He steals children!"

"That's a load of crap and you know it!" Buffy answered. "And besides, you're just as in love with him as he is with you, you just don't realize it."

"I'm what?" Sarah asked in disbelief.

Buffy reached down and pulled away the paper and pencil Sarah had in her hand. She didn't remember picking them up, hadn't realized she had been drawing, but when Buffy turned the page around she saw a perfect likeness of the man she had just sent away.

"Maybe your brain hasn't caught on yet, Sarah, but your heart knows you're in love with him. Why else would you keep doing this? I'll bet you've been calling out to him silently like this ever since you left his world." Buffy's tone had softened, as she sensed she was finally getting through to the girl. Sarah knew she was right and took the paper back from Buffy. Clutching it to her chest she began to sob.

Finally Buffy put a comforting arm around her. "He shouldn't have changed your species without asking." She said, "That was rude."

"Ye." Sarah sobbed into Buffy's shoulder.

"But it didn't change anything. Bothvar wanted revenge, and he would have found you eventually, magic or no magic. Jareth loves you so much even I can feel it, and I'm a real dunce when it comes to magic."

"Buffy's right." Willow said, putting her arm around Sarah too. "Kind of a bitch, but right." She ignored Buffy's protruding tongue. Looking at her best friend she asked. "Why are you standing up for him so much anyway, I thought you said he was an arrogant jerk."

"He is arrogant." Buffy answered. "But he's also kind and loyal and he loves her so much it hurts him. You can see it in his eyes; he would do anything for her. Do you know how rare that kind of love is?" Buffy lay back on the bed, sighing and trying not to think of Angel. "Besides, didn't you hear his story? Poor guy, somebody needs to look out for him for a change."

Sarah had quit crying and was staring at her newest picture of Jareth. She had been deep in thought, but Buffy's last words caught her attention. "Wait," she said, "What story?"

Buffy's eyes widened. "Oh…you didn't hear the story, did you?" she said, sitting up. "Well let's find you some clothes so you can get comfortable, and then Will and I will fill you in."

&&(&)()()&(&&&(&&(&)()()()(+)+)+

"What do you think they're talking about up there?" Xander asked through a mouthful of pizza.

"Oh, I dunno." Cordelia answered. "The weather maybe, or our boring math teacher, or maybe BEING TURNED INTO A GOBLIN!" she shouted these last words and Xander cringed.

"Cordelia, please." Joyce said, setting down a plate of brownies.  _Something better happen soon_ , she thought,  _before we run out of food_.

"Sorry, Mrs. Summers." Cordelia said, and shivered. "Is there a door open in here somewhere, it feels like its getting colder."

"And darker." Oz added, as a shadow seemed to pass over the room. All three teenagers looked up suddenly as realization dawned on them. In the center of the room the shadows began to flow together and take shape. Two red eyes appeared and a haunting laugh filled the room. The Scoobies that were present jumped from their seats. Xander went for Joyce, who was oblivious to what was taking shape behind her. He was too late, as the shadow grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards its center. As she spun around her eyes met the two glowing red orbs at the center of the entity and she screamed.

&&(&)()(()()()((&(&&&&(&()&)()()((&(&&

Sarah's eyes were filled with unshed tears and Buffy and Willow finished the story. Her throat was sore from holding back her sobs. Her heart was beating fast, her palms were sweaty, and she felt like she wanted to hit something.  _Where is all this emotion coming from_ , she wondered.

"That's the saddest, most awful thing I've ever heard." She said.

"Yep." Buffy agreed.

"I still don't understand why he didn't just say something to me while I was there. I mean, why bully me around so much and then just turn me into a goblin and send me on my way?"

Willow shook her head. "He didn't really get into all that, but if I had to guess, I'd say he just didn't know what to do. I mean hundreds of years with no family, barely anyone at all of his own kind to talk to? It was probably the first good thing he had felt in all those years. I'm sure he just didn't know what to do with it."

"Besides," Buffy added, "Men are dumb."

"Ye." The other two girls said in unison, nodding their heads in agreement.

"Actually," Willow said, "I can't believe he didn't follow us up here."

"I'm sure Giles stopped him." Buffy said. "In fact, knowing Giles, he took him somewhere to calm down."

"Oh." Sarah said, a little disappointed that he wasn't downstairs guarding her.

"So what will you say to him when he gets back?" Buffy asked.

"I dunno." Sarah shrugged. "Apologize for slapping him maybe. But really, what can I say? 'It's okay that you turned me into a goblin'? Because I'm still a little pissed about that."

"Maybe you should start with the apology and work from there." Willow said.

"Ye." agreed Buffy. "And no more slapping."

Sarah laughed, wiping at her tear stained cheeks. "Well, I can't promise anything. I mean, you've met him…"

For just a few minutes Buffy, Willow, and Sarah stopped being a Slayer, a Witch, and a Goblin. They became just like any three teenage girls, laughing about boys. It was stolen time cut all too short by the sound of a scream downstairs. Buffy jumped from the bed immediately.

"Mom!" she said, running out the door, Sarah and Willow right behind her.

&&&(&())()((&&&&&&&(&(&)()(&(&

"Ah, the Slayer, how nice of you to join us." Bothvar said as Buffy slid into the room.

"Let her go!" Buffy shouted.

"Now, now." Bothvar chided. "You're in no shape to be giving me commands. As I was just telling your friends, since you deprive me of my true prize, I think I'll take your mother instead."

"Like hell you will." Buffy said, rushing at the demon. She jumped to tackle him, but went right through him and landed hard on the kitchen floor. Bothvar laughed.

"Buffy!" Sarah said, running to the other girl's aid. As she passed Bothvar he screamed, apparently in pain, and retreated to the far corner of the room. He recovered himself quickly, but his lapse didn't escape the Slayer's notice.

"Well, time for me to go!" Bothvar said. "You know where to find me. Bring me the Goblin King and you can have your precious mother back." With that he and Joyce both disappeared.

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asked as Sarah helped her up off the floor.

"What was what?" Sarah asked, wondering if Buffy had hit her head. Had she forgotten that a demon had just abducted her mother?

"He screamed when you ran past him." Xander said, proving once again that he wasn't as slow as most people thought he was.

"Do you have an effigy with you?" Asked Jenny, appearing in the center of the room.

"Of course!" Buffy said. "The picture you just drew."

"You mean this?" Sarah asked, pulling the folded likeness of the Goblin King from her jeans pocket.

"So just a picture of the Goblin King hurt him like that?" asked Xander.

"Looks that way." Buffy said, a plan already forming in her mind.

"But he had the Goblin King himself out there in the woods and it didn't hurt him." Cordelia pointed out.

"The barrier." Willow said, snapping her fingers.

"What's that, Will?" Xander asked.

"The barrier spell he had up. It wasn't just a barrier, it was a ward. It protected him from…whatever it is about Jareth that he's afraid of."

"So what good is it to him if we bring Jareth? He can't hurt him if he can't get near him." Sarah asked.

"He doesn't know we know that." Buffy said. "He hopes we'll let our guard down enough to let him get to you. He can't hurt Jareth physically, but he knows killing you would be even worse."

"Then just let him have me." Sarah said, hiding the fear in her voice. "It may be the only way to get your Mom back."

"Absolutely not." Buffy said resolutely. "And Mom would say the same thing"

"Are you sure, Buff?" Xander said. He didn't like the idea of surrendering Sarah either, but Joyce was the closest thing to a real mother any of them had.

"Positive." She said, her face pensive. She looked up at the worried faces around her and sighed. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to Mom. I have a plan. But we need the Goblin King."

Sarah slouched in a chair, her gaze falling to the graphite likeness in her hands. "Oh, Jareth." She sighed. "I wish you were here right now."


	13. An Unexpected Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang makes a plan to confront Bothis and rescue Joyce, while Sarah wrestles with her own feelings for Jareth.

An Unexpected Question

 

Jareth and Giles reappeared in the Summers' kitchen and Giles, whose inebriated system was apparently overwhelmed by the rigors of transdimensional transport, immediately stumbled sideways about five steps before catching himself on the counter. He smiled sheepishly and removed his glasses, cleaning them vigorously on the tale of his shirt.

Jareth might have laughed if he had noticed, but he had not. His eyes were locked with Sarah's, fully expecting another berating at any moment. He knew he deserved it, knew she had every right to be furious with him. She stepped closer to him and time seemed to stand still, even without his assistance. She raised her hand and he flinched slightly, his eyes closed, awaiting another well deserved slap to the face. Instead he felt her hand cup his cheek very gently, the feel of her soft skin like velvet against his. He opened his eyes in surprise as she began to move her thumb in circles across his cheek.

"I'm sorry." She said, her eyes no longer on his but on his face, as though looking for residual damage from her earlier outburst.

Jareth struggled to find his voice. "Sorry for what?" he asked her, knowing she must mean for slapping him earlier.

"For everything." She said. "For slapping you, for yelling at you, for not giving you a chance to explain, for taking you for granted." She looked up at him sadly, tears in her eyes. "For what happened to your family."

Jareth closed his eyes and placed his warm gloved hand over hers against his cheek. He squeezed it lovingly and sighed. "There is nothing to forgive, Sarah." He said. "I should apologize. I should not have taken such a drastic step so arrogantly."

"Why did you do it?" she asked, working to keep any left over traces of anger out of her voice.

Jareth laughed darkly. "Because I was a fool. I thought that once I offered you your dreams, there was no way you could refuse me. It never even occurred to me that you might see the transformation as anything other than the gift I intended it to be. I always was a dolt when it comes to the fairer sex."

He opened his eyes and looked into Sarah's. There was something shining there that he wouldn't dare try to put a name to. He observed her closely as her eyes darted across his face. Her hand began to travel tentatively, brushing his regal features, fingertips across lips, fingers through unruly blonde hair. "Sarah, what are you…?"

He started but she placed a finger over his lips to quiet him.

He was going to ask her what she was doing. The truth was she didn't quite know herself. She supposed she was stalling for time, gathering her thoughts before she decided what to do next. She had still been angry until she saw him there in front of her. How could she maintain her anger when she looked into his eyes and recognized the pain there? How could she have been such a fool to have missed it before? So many questions, so many feelings raging inside her, she hardly knew where to begin to deal with them all. Perhaps it was best to start with the basics.

"Do you really love me?" she asked him.

He stared at her blankly, shocked by her frank question. Finally he found his voice once more. "Is it really so hard to believe, Sarah?" he asked her. When she merely stared at him without reply he sighed. "Yes, I really do." He said simply.

Her head was spinning. She would never have thought him capable of love before, but now she couldn't seem to doubt him. She also couldn't deny the tingling she felt up and down her spine when he looked at her that way. It was comforting, but not unfamiliar. She realized she had felt that same feeling ever since she had left the Labyrinth every time she thought about its ruler.  _Do I love him?_  she asked herself. Before she could answer, Xander's reminded them that there were others in the room.

"This is all very sweet," he said. "But shouldn't we be rescuing Buffy's mom now?"

"Has something happened to Joyce?" Giles asked, sobering almost immediately as the threat of danger loomed over them once more.

"Bothis." Buffy explained. "He was here while you were away. He took Mom since he couldn't get to Sarah, and said if we wanted her back we had to bring him Jareth."

"Why couldn't he get to Sarah?" Jareth asked.

Buffy held up the picture that Sarah's subconscious mind had caused her to draw. "Because of this." She said. "He can't seem to get near even a picture of you without it causing him severe pain."

"Facinating." Giles said, and everyone looked at him expectantly. "Well, you see." He began, effortless gliding back into 'Watcher Mode', "Every demon has a weakness, some special thing that they are most vulnerable to. For Bothis, that weakness appears to be you."

"But why?" Jareth asked.

"I'm not sure really, but you were his greatest enemy in life. It stands to reason you would be the greatest threat to his new existence." Giles explained. "In any case, this is good news."

"Better news is that I don't think he knows we've figured it out." Buffy said. "So he won't be expecting us to use it against him."

"You sound like you have a plan." Giles stated.

"I do." Buffy said, pulling open one of the bottom drawers under the counter. She rifled through it momentarily before standing with her prize and smiling. "This is our first step." She told them, holding out a Polaroid camera.

"We're gonna flash him to death?" Xander asked.

Buffy ignored him. "Jareth, stand over there please." Jareth did as she asked, eyeing the contraption in her hand warily. She held the camera to her face. "Okay, say cheese" she said.

Jareth furled his brow in confusion. "Cheese?" he asked, as the camera began flashing. He winced as the blinding light pierced his eyes. The camera flashed seven times before Buffy finally put her terrible torture device down on the counter. "What the hell was that?" he demanded.

Smiling, she held up the first of the pictures. A ghostly image of the Goblin King was already beginning to form on its milky surface. "When we fight vampires, we take crosses. To fight Bothis, we'll need these." She said.

"Of course!" Giles said, sifting through the pictures that were spread across the counter. "Bloody brilliant!" In one of the pictures, probably the second of the series, Jareth's eyes were wide and he wore a look of horror and confusion. Giles picked it up. "This one's mine." He said, tucking it neatly into his coat pocket.

Immediately the rest of the group crowded around, sifting through the pictures, as Jareth protested that he hadn't been properly warned and that they should take new ones now that he knew what to expect. "Sorry, Goblinboy." Xander said, picking up an image of Jareth cowering against the refrigerator, one hand shielding his eyes. "There's not enough film to take more."

Sarah walked to the counter and looked down at the pictures. She picked up the first one, in which Jareth had not yet reacted to the flash. He was merely smirking in the familiar way that haunted her dreams. She stared at it silently, and then looked up to find the man it represented. She found him watching her curiously. She smiled sheepishly and put the picture in the back pocket of her jeans. She saw a strange look cross his face, and realized that her choice of storage for the photo had probably caused at least ten wickedly seductive thoughts to cross his mind. To his credit, he kept them to himself.

Once everyone had found a picture of the Goblin King to arm themselves with, Buffy explained the next part of her plan. "Okay. We know he's taken Mom back to the clearing near the cemetery. He doesn't know that we've caught on to him, so he thinks we'll all just come back there intent on trading Jareth for Mom, and he'll use our distraction to take Sarah instead. So we're gonna let him think he has us." Jareth opened his mouth to protest, but Buffy silenced him. "While he's got his guard down, Giles and Willow will break his barrier spell. If you can get close enough to him, I think he'll be helpless."

"I'm not so sure about this." Jareth said. "We seem to be putting a lot of faith in assumptions."

"Do you have a better idea?" Buffy said.

"I could just give myself to him, relinquish my magic and let him have me." Jareth said.

Sarah grabbed his arm, spinning him to face her. "Absolutely not!" she said with more emotion than she intended. "That is NOT going to happen." Did she love the Goblin King? She had just answered her own question.

"Sarah." He said sadly. "It may be the only way to save Joyce…to save you." He added softy.

"No." Sarah said. "We'll find some other way. You can't do this."

"Sarah's right." Buffy said. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself."

Jareth lifted his eyes from Sarah to the Slayer. He marveled at her strength. She knew what Bothvar was capable of, knew that he held her mother hostage at this very moment, yet she was so calm. He was amazed by her. Then he looked back down at Sarah, whose eyes were shimmering with fierce determination. "There may be another way." He said. "In fact, I'm sure it's the only other way. But it would be very dangerous for you, Sarah, possibly more dangerous than I'm willing to accept."

"What is it?" she asked.

"I didn't just turn you into a goblin, Sarah." Jareth explained, stroking her cheek gently with a gloved finger. "I made you a Goblin Queen. In a sense, you're an extension of me. The magic you have comes from me. Bothvar knows that, it's what attracted him to you in the first place."

"How does that help us then?" Giles asked.

"Because her magic is dormant. It needs to be awakened, and once it is, the same magic that I control will be hers as well. We would wield it together. If I awakened the magic inside her after he took her, it would be the same as if I was standing there in front of him."

"Why hasn't he already thought of that?" Willow asked. "I mean, he must know you can do it, won't he be expecting it?"

"I'm sure it's the last thing he expects." Jareth said.

"Why?" Sarah asked softly.

"Because it would make you as powerful as I am. Not many Goblin Kings ever awaken the power in their Queens." He answered truthfully, searching her eyes. "Of course, I could only do it if you were willing to be my Queen. Eventually."

Sarah was aware of seven pairs of eyes gazing at her expectantly. So the fate of the plan rested on her willingness to marry Jareth? She eyed him warily, wondering if this was just another game, but his face was soft and full of hope. She did love him, there was no doubt in her now. She smiled. "This isn't exactly the way I always dreamt of being proposed to." She said.

To her exquisite shock, Jareth got down on one knee and took her hand in his own. "Sarah Williams, love of my life, will you accept my suit and rule the Labyrinth by my side? Will you be my Queen?"

Sarah pulled him back up to her feet, as tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. She tried to speak, but could find no words. Silently she nodded, and threw her arms around him.

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

"Yes." She croaked through the lump in her throat. "Yes, yes, yes yes, yes!"  
He lifted her up off the floor and crushed her in a passionate kiss, only stopping when he heard Buffy's voice.

"This is awesome, and we all want to come to the wedding." She said. "Can we go rescue my Mom now?"


	14. Through Dangers Untold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scoobies head off to rescue Joyce with Jareth and Buffy in the lead.

Through Dangers Untold

 

 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Giles asked Sarah as they watched Buffy gather up weapons and distribute them among the Scoobies. Buffy had offered Jareth the use of one of her swords, but he had declined, preferring to retrieve his own sword from his castle. They were making their finishing preparations while they waited for him to return from the Underground.

"Which part?" Sarah replied, "Putting myself in mortal danger or marrying Jareth?"

"Well, either one I suppose." He answered.

"If this plan is the only way to get rid of Bothvar, then I don't guess I have much of a choice." Sarah said. "Besides, I always wanted to be an actress, this is my chance. Which reminds me," she added, pulling the Polaroid of Jareth from her jeans pocket, "Could you hold on to this for me? If this plan's going to work, Bothvar has to be able to get close to me."

Giles hesitated, not really wanting to take the young woman's only defense, but finally nodded and tucked the photo into his coat pocket with his own. "What about the rest of it, Sarah." He asked. "Did you accept Jareth's proposal because it was necessary to defeat Bothis?"

Sarah didn't answer, but gestured towards the Slayer. "What was Buffy's reaction when she learned she was the Slayer?" She asked.

Giles regarded her curiously. "How much to you know about Slayers?" he asked. "I was under the impression that this was all new to you."

Sarah smiled. "Willow filled me in a bit. 'One girl in all the world,' or something like that."

Giles nodded, removing his glasses and cleaning them perfunctorily. "Well, I wasn't there." He began, "I wasn't her first Watcher, you see. But from what I understand, she had a very difficult time coming to terms with it."

Sarah laughed. "I can only imagine." She said. "But I bet it wasn't pretty. Still, she eventually did accept it."

Giles regarded her curiously, wondering where the topic was leading. "She did, when she realized she had no choice. She not only accepted it, but embraced it."

"Willow says she's one of the greatest Slayers that ever lived." Sarah said.

"Well, Willow is a bit dramatic," Giles chuckled, returning his glasses to his face. "But she has lived longer and accomplished more than any other Slayer on record."

Sarah nodded, and then seemed to change the subject again. "Two years ago, when I defeated the Labyrinth, I wasn't as naïve as everyone seems to believe. I was young, but not too young to understand what Jareth was offering me, or what he was trying to tell me. But I was afraid. Not of him, so much, but of the part of me that wanted so badly to accept what he wanted to give. I didn't want to admit that that part of me even existed. So I ignored it, I refused him, I went back to my ordinary life and tried to forget. But I never could.

"When I couldn't forget it…him…I tried to ignore my feelings. Then I tried to deny them. When that didn't work anymore, I just got angry. Then today Buffy made me realize what I had been trying so hard to ignore. I don't belong to this world, and not just because of what Jareth did. I never belonged here. I knew that when I was a child, long before I ever met the Goblin King. What I didn't know until now was why."

"And know you know?" Giles asked her.

"I don't belong here, because I belong with him." Sarah answered, a far away look on her face. "Now that I've stopped fighting it, I can feel the truth of it. Jareth is my destiny, and I can not only accept it now, but also embrace it, just as Buffy embraced hers."

"Is that what this is?" Giles asked, "Destiny?"

"What would you call it?" Sarah countered.

"I thought it was love." He told her.

Sarah smiled. "Sometimes they're the same thing." She said, and gestured towards Buffy, who appeared to be trying to choose between a large double edged axe and a simple sword. "What happened to Buffy's first Watcher?" she asked.

"He was killed." Giles said simply, "And I took his place."

"I see." Sarah said, her face serious, "Then I suppose you know a thing or two about destiny yourself."

"Déjà vu." Willow whispered, taking in her surroundings. Jareth had transported them to the same spot in the woods that they had entered earlier. It was still dark, but in the distance they could see a light in the clearing and knew that Bothis was waiting for them there.

"Does everyone understand the plan?" Buffy asked.

"Stick together, let him see all of us so he thinks we're giving up." Xander said. "Simple enough."

The Slayer glanced over at the soon to be Goblin Queen and found her staring at the ground, her lips moving silently. "Sarah?" she asked, concern in her voice, "Are you okay."

Sarah glanced up and smiled. "Just going over my lines." She said.

Buffy nodded, and looked at the rest of them again. She realized that she had taken charge of the situation, and was grateful that Jareth was allowing it…for now. But one look at his face told her that he was ready to take over at a moments notice. Not just his face, really, but his whole appearance. He had not just retrieved his sword during his visit to the Underground, but had donned an impossibly ornate silver armored breastplate and armored boots. He wore tight black pants of a shimmering material she had never seen before, and a thick black cloak was draped over his broad shoulders. He looked very kingly and almost frightening. Most of all, he made Buffy feel woefully underdressed in her white tank top and khakis.

She realized he was watching her expectantly, so continued rallying the troops. "Right." She said, gathering her thoughts once again. "We're just here for support. Once we have Mom Cordelia will get her to safety. The rest of us stick close and be ready to jump in if all hell breaks loose. Everyone got it?" She didn't wait for a response, but turned and began walking towards the clearing. "Right, then let's go kick this guy's ass."

As they made their way into the clearing, Joyce came into view. She was sitting on the ground, seemingly unharmed and with all of her clothing mercifully in tact. Buffy heaved a sigh of relief. She knew better than to try to get to her, however, as she could barely see the shimmering field of magic that separated them.

Bothis was no where to be seen, but suddenly the clearing was filled with the sound of his unearthly laughter. "Well, dear cousin, it seems as though you have brought a small army."

"We want no tricks, Bothvar." Jareth said. "Give this woman back to her family, and you may have me to do with as you wish."

The shadows at the center of the clearing drew together and began to coalesce into the shape of a man. When they were done there was no shadowy figure before them but Bothvar as he had been a thousand years ago, his dark eyes blazing with soulless fury, his black hair flowing in the wind like anger made manifest. He looked for all the world as though he lived and breathed the same air as the rest of them. It was only the emptiness of his eyes that gave him away. Even still, Jareth's heart ached as memories of happier times clawed their way through his mind.

Bothvar strode toward the nearly invisible barrier that separated him from the Goblin King, a wicked smile playing across his lips. "Oh, Jareth, so predictably noble. I wonder if you would be so brave if you knew just how painful my wishes could be." He looked out at the Scoobies who stood a few feet away, and then back at Jareth. "Don't you think you're all rather well armed for a hostage exchange?" he asked.

"We came to get my mother back." Buffy said, stepping forward and staring into those soulless dark eyes unflinchingly, "And we will take her one way or another."

Bothvar laughed again. "You're mother has been quite entertaining company." He said. "I may just decide to keep her."

Buffy made as though to lunge against the barrier, but Jareth stopped her with one outstretched arm. He turned his face towards her and his look was calming and alarming simultaneously. She had a feeling it was a look that only he could pull off. Turning back to Bothvar he said "We had a deal, cousin. My life for the mortal's."

For the first time Bothvar looked a bit uncomfortable. It was obvious he hadn't expected Jareth to give himself up, and he wasn't sure how to proceed. He was visibly relieved when Sarah stepped forward and grabbed Jareth's arm, spinning him around to face her.

"You can't do this!" she yelled. "Don't you know he's going to kill you?"

Jareth stared at her coolly, his emotions a barely concealed shadow behind his eyes. "More than likely." He answered her.

Sarah clenched her fists at her sides, and anger snapped in her eyes. "And you care so little about me that you would just let him take you from me? Damn it, Jareth, I've only just found you! I can't lose you now!" Tears were streaming down her face, and her fingernails dug painfully into the soft flesh of her palms.

Jareth's expression softened, his own eyes glistening at the power in her words. He made to put his arms around her, but she pushed him away. "I don't want your comfort. I want you tell me you won't do this." She growled.

"I have to do this, love. It's the only way to save Joyce."

Sarah stared at him in disbelief. Defiantly she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Then do it alone, because I'm not staying to watch you die." She said tersely. Before he could stop her she turned and ran into the forest. Bothvar began laughing again, knowing that he had just gained the upper hand. With a flash of light he disappeared, and the barrier fell.

Buffy wasted no time running to her mother's side, the rest of the Scoobies in line behind her. Giles knelt and put an arm around her, helping her to her feet. "I'm fine," Joyce protested, "I can stand up on my own."

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Xander asked.

"No, no. He just talked. A lot. He really hates your goblin friend." She said. "It was sad, really. I felt a little sorry for him."

Buffy groaned. "Mother, you have got to stop sympathizing with the Big Bad." She chided. "I mean for heaven's sake, you invited Spike in for coffee!"

Joyce nodded. "And he was the perfect gentleman." She replied.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, William the Bloody was the perfect gentleman. Mom, he could have had you as a snack, or worse!"

"But he didn't" Joyce retorted, and would have said more in her defense had Jareth not cut her off.

"Ladies, as fascinating as this discussion is, perhaps there is a better time and place for it?" The Goblin King said, an almost amused scowl on his face.

"Sorry, Jareth." Buffy said, smiling sheepishly. "Thanks for saving my mom, now let's rescue your fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Joyce said pouting. "Oh! What did I miss?"

"I'll fill you in all the details." Cordelia smiled, locking her arm with the older woman. "Just as soon as we get home." She turned to look at Jareth. "Okay, we're ready for lift off." She said.

"This will likely be unpleasant." Jareth said. "If anyone else wishes to leave, I won't think less of you for it." He glanced around at the faces before him, most of them battle hardened beyond their years, and knew there would be no takers. "Very well then." He summoned a crystal and tossed it to Cordelia, who caught it with her free hand, and she and Joyce disappeared.

Shortly afterward they were once more surrounded by unearthly laughter, and Bothvar reappeared, an honestly frightened looking Sarah grasped roughly in his arms. Jareth had not really been amazed at how well she had done her lines during their 'argument.' After all, this was not the first time he had seen her deliver her lines with such conviction. He had been amazed, though not really surprised, by her bravery as she ran into the woods, knowing that Bothvar would follow her. But it was obvious that her resolve was beginning to fail her as she was once again at the mercy of a creature that had already tortured her and nearly killed her. The fear in her eyes made Jareth sick, and he wanted more than anything to take that fear away. But he knew it was too soon, and he forced himself to be strong, willing her to be strong as well.

Even so, it was almost all he could do to control himself as Bothvar nuzzled his face into Sarah's neck, his hands roaming her body. Sarah shuddered against his touch, her face contorted in revulsion. "It seems I have captured a much better prize, cousin." Bothvar sneered, and laughed as Jareth finally lost control and lunged towards him, only to be thwarted by the field that once again separated them. "Isn't it funny how things come full circle?" Bothvar chuckled. Once again I have the woman you love at my mercy, and once again all you can do is watch as I drain the life from her." With that he spun Sarah around roughly and raised his hand. It began to glow as though a fire burned within it, and Sarah's eyes widened in horror. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her firmly with his left arm, as he slowly lowered his right toward her.

Jareth closed his eyes, knowing the time had come. He willed the power inside her to awaken, and waited to feel the connection spark between them. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes and looked at Sarah. There was nothing but fear in her eyes, and he knew it hadn't worked.

Buffy grabbed Jareth's arm. "Do something." She hissed.

"I'm trying." He said, "It's not working!"

"What do you mean it's not working? He's going to kill her Jareth!"

Realization dawned on him, and he was almost over come with dread. "The Labyrinth." He moaned.

Buffy looked at him, confused. "What?"

He turned to her, his face pale. "The Labyrinth. It's the source of our power. Gods, how could I have been so stupid! It won't work because we're too far away from the Labyrinth!" Buffy stared at him in disbelief, but was startled back to reality by the sound of Sarah screaming.


	15. Down in the Underground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jareth finds a way to bring the battle to his home turf.

Down in the Underground

 

Jareth stared in horror as Bothvar placed his flaming hand against the side of Sarah's exposed neck. The sound of her screaming filled his ears, and Buffy had to forcibly shake him to get his attention. "Jareth! He's killing her! Think of something else!" He glanced around, hoping for inspiration. Giles and Willow were already at work trying to bring down the barrier that kept him from saving Sarah, but he knew they couldn't do it fast enough. Bothvar had no doubt learned from his mistakes, and would not waste time torturing Sarah. He wanted her dead, wanted Jareth to watch him kill her. This was his revenge for exiling him, for taking away his magic for separating him from…that was it! Jareth's mind grasped hold of the thought, instinctively knowing that the answer lay somewhere within. If there was anything good, anything decent left in the demon his cousin had become, if there was anything left for him to appeal to, this was it.

"Ilena!" he shouted, that one word all he could get out before his voice broke. It was enough. Bothvar lowered his hand and turned his face slowly towards his cousin, his eyes narrow.

"What did you say?" Bothvar whispered.

Jareth fought to regain his composure, sparing only a fleeting glance at Sarah, who was somehow still conscious, barely. "Let Sarah go, and I'll take you to Ilena." He said.

"What trickery is this?" Bothvar demanded.

"No tricks, Bothvar." Jareth answered, his voice almost pleading. "Just a simple trade. The woman you love, for the woman I love."

Bothvar seemed to think it over. He glanced at the girl in his arms. He knew that Jareth must love her a great deal to have given her the gift he had, but did he truly love her enough to allow him back into the Underground? "Take me to Ilena first, then I'll let her go."

Jareth tried not to let his relief show on his face. It didn't matter if he let her go now or not. As long as he could get them Underground, he could save her. "Very well." He said and summoned a crystal.

"Wait!" Giles said, and Jareth turned to look at him. "Take us with you."

"You wish to go Underground?" Jareth asked, and then shook his head. "No, I can't allow it. It would be too dangerous. You've put yourselves in enough peril as it is." He was about to roll the crystal to Bothvar when Buffy spoke beside him.

"I wish the goblins would come and take me away right now." She said, grinning wickedly.

Jareth growled. "Stubborn woman!" Before he could react, Giles repeated the wish, then Xander, then Willow, and finally Oz. He looked at them, his irritation struggling with his admiration. "You realize I'd be within my rights to keep you all there forever now?"

Buffy smiled. "We'll stake that vamp when we come to him." She said.

"Come on, cousin, make up your mind over there. You're pretty little thing hasn't got all day!" Bothvar mocked.

Without another word Jareth rolled the crystal across the ground to Bothvar, which rolled effortlessly through the magic barrier. Bothvar bent down and picked it up, and he and Sarah disappeared. Jareth and the others disappeared a split second later.

* * *

 

If Jareth had not been so worried about Sarah, he might have warned Buffy and the others that teleporting to the Underground would be exponentially harder on their systems than hopping back and forth through Sunnydale had been. He might even have thought to shield them from it somewhat. Unfortunately for them he had not, and all of them, Buffy included, found themselves crumpled on the ground, the world spinning relentlessly around them.

Buffy was the first to come somewhat to her senses, and she lay on her back staring upwards at unfamiliar constellations in a foreign sky. Her stomach was lurching as she struggled to her feet, looking for something familiar to help her get her bearings. Her companions were still sprawled on the ground, battling with the dizziness that she had only just gotten over herself. At least the grass beneath them was soft, and the fine haze of dew that covered it was comforting against their cheeks.

Buffy looked around and realized that they were surrounded by a thick fog which rolled past them in waves, making it difficult to see very far in any direction but up. She saw no sign of Jareth, Sarah, or Bothis. Squinting through the fog, she could barely make out figures moving in the distance, and began to walk towards them. She was so focused on her destination that she nearly tripped over a small stone figure in her path. It stood about two and a half feet high and was adorned at the top with what appeared to be an inverted half moon. Curious, she looked around her and saw several more figures, similarly carved, some engraved in a language she had never seen before. The figures were eerily familiar, and with a startled gasp she realized what they were.

"Graves" Oz said behind her, echoing her thoughts.

"Thousands of them" Willow added in hushed tones. Buffy looked up as the fog began to recede, and the pale moonlight spilled out over the field before them. Just as Willow had said, there were thousands of monuments, some much larger and more ornate than others, but all bearing the inverted half moon symbol. It was a cemetery, the largest one any of them had ever seen.

"Good Lord." Giles breathed, "This must be the field from Jareth's story." Although they had all heard his description of the destruction Bothis had caused, they had not really understood the magnitude until now. Seeing these graves stretching as far as the eye can see and knowing that all of them had been filled on a single day filled them all with a sense of awe, and a new respect for the King who had been strong enough to survive such horror.

Ahead of them, amidst the largest of the monuments, stood three figures, one of them slumped and supported roughly by another, the third separated from the first two by a few feet. "There they are!" Xander pointed as the sound of Bothis' shouting was carried to them by the wind.

"What trickery is this, Jareth?" he roared, tightening his grip on the unconscious girl in his arms.

Giles began to move towards Jareth but Buffy held him back, gesturing silently for him to stay hidden. She knew there must have been a reason that Jareth had set them down so far away from himself, and thought it might be better if Bothis didn't know they were there just yet. She crouched low, the others following suit, and watched the scene play out below them.

"There is no trickery." Jareth was saying, "I told you I would bring you to Ilena, and so I have." He pointed wordlessly to one of the graves nestled within the shadow of the larger ones. Buffy could not read the inscription, but she could guess whose grave it was.

"No!" Bothis shouted. "What did you do to her?"

Jareth knelt beside the gravestone, gently pulling weeds away from its base. He brushed his fingers over the inscription, allowing them to linger on the cool stone as he spoke. "Come now, Bothvar. You know me better than that. Ilena was family, as was the child she carried. I could never have hurt them. I would have protected them until the end of my days."

Bothis' voice seemed to fail him as he spoke again. "How then?" he managed. In his grief he loosened his grip on Sarah and she crumpled to the ground, forgotten at his feet. As he began to walk away from her and toward his wife's grave, Buffy signaled for Xander and Oz to move her to safety.

Jareth saw the action from the corner of his eye, and continued quickly before Bothvar noticed as well. "She was ashamed. She couldn't bear to live knowing what you had done. I tried to comfort her, to let her know that she was not to blame for your actions, but it was no use. A few weeks after you were banished, she threw herself from the turret that overlooks the Labyrinth." Jareth stood now, facing the evil specter of his once beloved cousin. "She took her own life, and your child perished while yet unborn."

Bothis glared at Jareth, his eyes seething with unfathomable fury, the only emotion he was still capable of. Then he turned, intent on recovering Sarah and finishing what he had started. When he realized that she was no longer where he had left her, he roared with outrage. He spotted Xander and Oz carrying her across the field and disappeared with a flourish.

When he reappeared he was in front of them, blocking their path through the field. Buffy ran towards them, horrified as she saw the demon lunge towards her friends and the girl they carried. To her amazement, he screeched in pain and backed away.

"The photos!" Giles exclaimed. "He can't get near them!"

"Buffy, you're a genius!" Willow cheered.

"Maybe." Buffy said, "But if I can't get near him, how am I supposed to slay him?"

"I think we have bigger problems now." Jareth said from behind them. "Listen."

There was indeed a rumbling coming from behind the hill on which Bothis stood. It was low and menacing, and while quiet at first quickly became nearly thunderous. The ground beneath them seemed to shake, and they looked at each other in confusion. Finally, the source of the sound became visible. A throng of creatures, black and twisted, emerged on the top of the hill. Bothis began to laugh, and the sound of it was dreadful.

"What are they?" Willow cried.

"Orcs." Jareth answered, his face curled in disgust. "They're low goblins that try to control high magic. The power is too great for them, and it twists them and turns them into creatures of unspeakable evil. They usually stick to the dark places of the Underground, but these must have sensed the presence of evil and been drawn to it."

"My god." Giles breathed. "There must be hundreds of them."

Jareth nodded grimly. "At least." He said, drawing his sword from its sheath. The blade glinted wickedly in the moonlight, and reflected in his eyes, making the grim determination there seem even colder. Without another word he began moving towards the roiling army of dark beasts, picking up speed until he was in a dead run, his sword raised above his head.

"Well," Buffy sighed. "I said we were here to help if all hell broke loose, and there it is." She pulled her axe from its place against her back and followed Jareth. They reached the throng together, and shoulder to shoulder began cutting them down. A moment later they were joined by Giles, sword in hand, who took his place beside Buffy.

Xander and Oz stood with their backs to each other, Sarah laying between them. Their own swords were drawn and they were doing their best to fend off the attacking creatures and protect Sarah from Bothis at the same time. Willow stood on the hill, her eyes closed, attempting to place a barrier spell around them, but wasn't having much luck. She hadn't held much hope; her magic was, after all, drawn from the Earth, and she was a long way from Earth. Still, she had to try. She had never been much good with a sword.

She sighed in resignation, and began to make her way down the hill towards the battle when she saw the strangest thing. A large sheepdog ran past her with what appeared to be a smaller dog on its back. To her amazement, the smaller dog was speaking to the big one. "Ambrosius, you're going the wrong way!" it cried, "The battle is that way!" Finally, the smaller dog leapt from the larger one's back in disgust and ran toward the fray. Ambrosius sauntered back to the hill and came to rest beside Willow. Despite everything that was going on, she couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

 

Buffy was covered in slimy black ichor. She had killed dozens of the horrid creatures, and knew Giles and Jareth had as well, but it seemed as though they hadn't put a dent in their numbers. All the while, Bothis' disembodied laughter was all around them. A group of them came up on her from the left, and she swung her axe in a wide arc, slicing them neatly. "Well, done, My Lady." A small voice said from her right. She turned to see who had spoken to her, and had to look down. When she saw the owner of the voice she blinked, wondering if the stress was getting to her.

"Who are you?" she asked.

In the midst of battle, the little dog creature took its hat off and bowed with a flourish. "I am Sir Didymus, My Lady." He answered. "Knight of the Realm and Defender of His Majesty's Kingdom."

Buffy blinked again, staring at the little creature until another wave of attackers claimed her attention. "Pleased to meet you." She said, swinging her axe. "I'm Buffy"

"What a strange name for a lady warrior." Sir Didymus said, his own small sword moving in swift clean strokes. Buffy was amazed to see a neat pile of bodies stacking up next to the little dog.

"I get that all the time." She answered, grinning.

* * *

 

Willow was worried. Oz and Xander were doing a pretty good job of keeping the orcs at bay, but they were horribly outnumbered and beginning to tire. She needed to do something, anything, to help them. But without her magic she was practically useless. "Wait a minute." She said, with no one to hear her but her new friend Ambrosius. "If I can't draw on the Earth's magic, I'll draw on whatever's here." She closed her eyes again, and felt herself reaching deep down into the core of the world. It was different, it had a different sort of flavor than Earth, but she could feel it. It was older than ancient, something other than mere planetary energy. She let her mind put out roots, drawing the energy up into herself. She felt it filling her, infusing her with power, but the power was so foreign she had now idea what would happen when she released it, and had no idea if she could control it once she did.

Below her, Buffy, Giles, Jareth, and Didymus were still hacking away at the endless wave of orcs. Buffy could tell that Giles was beginning to tire. He was covered in the same slimy black stuff as she, his own blood mingled here and there. There was a large gash above his eye where one of the creatures had come a bit too close, and she didn't know where his glasses had gone. Still, he kept fighting, and she was proud of him.

Suddenly she heard a low moan rising up from the ground.  _Oh no, not more of them,_ she thought. She looked towards the far hill, expecting to see a flood of orcs swarming over the side. Instead, she saw a large hulking creature with shaggy red fur standing with his arms held high and his faced raised toward the night sky. It was his voice she had heard.

Then there was a crash beside her, and a scream. She turned to see an orc, flattened to the ground by a boulder that seemed to have come from no where. She looked around and saw other boulders falling from the sky, just a few here and there, but everywhere they fell they took out at least one of the orcs. She looked back up at the creature on the hill, and saw that another, smaller creature had joined him. This one seemed to be pointing, and everywhere he pointed a rock fell. This, Buffy decided, must be one of the Cree. Whoever was with him appeared to be telling him where to aim his strikes. She didn't know why they were there, but she was grateful for the help.

* * *

 

Sarah slowly opened her eyes. Her head was throbbing and the noise of the battle wasn't helping it any.  _Battle?_  She looked around to see herself surrounded by dozens of short, twisted, evil looking creatures, as Xander and Oz fought doggedly to keep them away from her. When had this happened? The last thing she remembered was…Bothvar. They had been in the woods in Sunnydale. Now they were in what appeared to be a graveyard, being attacked by creatures she had never seen before. But where was Jareth? She began to panic as she scanned the field below for some sign of him. Finally she saw him, in the thick of the battle, sword blazing. Despite herself, her heart began to beat a little harder at the sight.  _Oh, this is so not the time for that_ , she chided herself as she continued to scan the scene below. She found Buffy and Giles fighting near Jareth, as was…Didymus?

Just then a rock fell so close to her that she felt the ground shake beneath her feet. Beneath it was one of the creatures, a little too close for comfort. She only knew one person who could throw rocks like that, and she scanned the horizon for him. Sure enough, there he was standing on the hillside. Ludo and Hoggle stood together, Hoggle pointing and Ludo calling down rocks at his direction. So they were in the Underground, then. She didn't know what the hell was going on, but she didn't like sitting defenseless in the middle of a battle.

Oz and Xander had been too busy to notice when she woke up. They also had not noticed when she stood up and began walking away from them, scouring the ground for something she could use as a weapon. They did notice when Bothis appeared, his laughter ringing in their ears, and grabbed her roughly by the arms. "Not again!" Xander shouted, rushing towards them. But it was too late, they had disappeared again.

* * *

 

Willow watched all of this with detachment. The power that was pulsing inside her was growing to a crescendo, and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold it in much longer. She was frightened by it, feeling that she was being more controlled by it than the other way around. It was as though some force was working through her, and while she believed it was benevolent, she couldn't be sure. It didn't matter anyway, as she knew she couldn't contain it a second longer.

She threw her head back and flung her arms wide. The wind picked up around her, blowing her hair wildly around her head. Her body began to tremble as the force of the magic pushed its way through her. When she opened her mouth it wasn't her voice that came out of it. It was the sound of many voices; angry, outraged voices. As Willow's lips began to move, the voices chanted, and the sound became louder and louder until it could be heard over the din of the battle.

Everything stopped, time itself seemed to stop, as everything in the valley below her looked up to see the red haired witch on the hilltop chanting in a language she didn't know using voices that weren't her own.


	16. Goodbye and Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jareth and the Scoobies face their final showdown with Bothvar.

Goodbye and Goodnight

 

The battle had frozen, as everyone on the battlefield turn to stare at the young Wiccan. Her arms were spread wide and her head thrown back as though embracing the night sky. The moon seemed to hover directly over her, and her flame colored windblown hair caught the moonlight in such a way as to give the illusion that she was afire. She was chanting, almost singing, and the sound resonated throughout the valley. Ambrosius cowered low to the ground, his paws over his face, afraid of the change in his new friend. The orcs were staring at her with expressions of awe which quickly turned to horror. They dropped their weapons and began to tremble in terror.

"What's she doing?" Buffy asked Giles, seeing the orcs' reaction.

"I haven't a clue." The Watcher answered truthfully. "I wouldn't have thought she could do any magic here. I don't even know what language she's speaking."

"It's a goblin dialect, but very old." Sir Didymus interjected. "I understand but little. Can you make it out, Sire?" he asked, addressing Jareth.

The other three turned to Jareth, and were startled to see the blood draining from his face. "I can." He said, his voice almost a whisper.

Giles put his hand on the Goblin King's shoulder, concern burning in his eyes. "Jareth, are you alright?"

Jareth continued to stare at Willow, a far away look in his eyes. He didn't answer Giles, but instead began to translate. "'We the Ancient Fallen, the Labyrinthine Dead, call upon the powers of the elements. Cleanse this holy ground of the evil that creeps upon it, let them be swallowed by the flame of justice.'"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. She looked from Jareth to Willow and back, her heart thrumming wildly in her chest. Finally she found her voice. "Is that what she's saying?" she asked.

Jareth nodded solemnly. "She's repeating it, over and over."

"But how does Willow know some ancient goblin language?" Xander asked, and they were all relieved to see that he and Oz were okay.

"She doesn't." Giles finally answered. "But obviously the 'Ancient Fallen' do."

"But who are they?" Buffy asked.

"Those who died on this field, a thousand years ago." Jareth answered. "My family." This last was said softly, with a sadness and reverence that was nearly palpable. He continued to stare at Willow a moment longer, when he suddenly remembered his future Queen. He turned his attention to Xander and Oz. "Where is Sarah?"

Xander shook his head. "I'll give you three guesses, but you're only gonna need one."

"Damn it!" Jareth cried. "How long ago did he take her?"

"Not long." Xander told him. "Just before Willow started her light show."

Sir Didymus' ears perked up at the mention of Sarah's name, and Ludo and Hoggle, who had just made their way down the hill to join the group, also took notice. "Is My Lady in trouble?" Didymus asked.

"Sawah!" Ludo roared.

"Wait." Said Hoggle, looking around at his King and the strangers by his side. "You means the little lady's here somewhere? In the middle of all of this?" he gestured wildly towards the field that was strewn with dead orcs and cowering live ones.

Jareth paid them no heed, but spun around, wanting to run to Sarah's aid. There was no where to run to. He looked around frantically, growling in frustration when he saw no sign of either Sarah or Bothvar. Buffy took his arm and turned him to face her. "It's okay, Jareth. She's okay." The Slayer reassured him.

"How can you know that?" he asked.

"Because this is all about revenge. He wants you to see her die, and he won't hurt her until you're there to watch." Jareth's eyes shimmered with tears of frustration, and he seemed to age before her eyes.

"I can't lose her, Buffy." He said, forcing each word past the lump in his throat. "I've lost everything I've ever loved, I can't lose Sarah too. I'm just not strong enough."

Hoggle and Didymus looked at each other questioningly. Did he say love?

"I've never lost a fight, and I won't let you lose Sarah." Buffy told him, her eyes earnest. "We'll get her back, I promise."

Suddenly the wind began to pick up, gaining speed until they were fighting to stand against it. Didymus and Hoggle clung to Ludo's shaggy fur to keep from blowing away. "What's happening?" Xander called over the whirring gale.

"I don't know." Hoggle shouted back. "But the little lady on the hill's what's causin it."

As the wind blew harder, the orcs that were already cowering began to grovel even lower to the ground. If the wind got any faster, none of them would be able to stand. It was at that point that Willow stopped chanting and let out a blood curdling shriek. The sound seemed to pierce the sky somehow, as suddenly streaks of lighting began to fall around them in every direction. They gathered together in a circle, hovering with their faces covered to block out the blinding light. Even with their arms over their eyes the world seemed to be lit by a thousand suns. They could hear screaming all around them, but no one dared to look for its source. It was as if they had been thrown directly into a star.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Warily they pulled away from each other and opened their eyes. The wind had stopped, and they were once again surrounded by darkness. More importantly, they were surrounded by hundreds of small piles of ash where once there had been orcs.

"By my honor, they're all dead!" Didymus exclaimed.

"She killed them." Xander said, his voice hushed with quiet awe.

They all turned once again to look at Willow. She looked tired, drained somehow. The wind that had billowed around her before had diminished some, but had not gone away completely. Her eyes were still closed, and she still held her arms and face toward the sky. And she was chanting again, but the words had changed.

"What's she saying now?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know." Jareth answered. "She's too quiet, I can't quite make it out."

Disembodied laughter brought their attention behind them. They turned to see Bothvar materialize in front of them, Sarah in his arms.

"Jareth!" She cried, trying to pull away from her captor, but he held her fast.

"I see your pet witch has done away with the orcs." Bothvar sneered. "No matter, they bought me time to recapture my prize. You will regret what you have done to me, cousin."

"I don't think so." Jareth said, closing his eyes. With his mind he reached out to his beloved, and this time he felt the connection between their minds. He projected a feeling of warmth towards her, like a mental hug, to reassure her that he loved her and not to be afraid. Then he probed deeper, looking for the source of the magic he had given her.

Sarah was struggling to get away, terrified of being tortured yet again. Her fear and panic threatened to take over her rational mind, when suddenly she felt a presence inside her. It was warm, and comforting, and calmed her down immediately.  _Jareth._  He was there, and he was about to awaken the magic inside her. This was it, she knew; after this there would be no turning back. She would be the Goblin Queen, bound to Jareth forever. She took a deep breath to steady herself and smiled broadly, looking up at her captor with shining eyes and waiting to be filled with Jareth's power, and his love.

Bothvar's laughter caught in his throat as he saw the smile spread across Sarah's face. What did she have to look so smug about? He glanced at Jareth, whose eyes were closed as if in prayer. Suddenly he understood, and fear clenched him. He wouldn't, would he? It was unheard of! No Goblin King for the last ten thousand years had awakened the connection in his Queen. Jareth was not even bound to this girl, surely he was not trusting her with so much power?

His question was answered when a bolt of pain shot through him as though he had been stabbed. He was able to catch the flash in Sarah's eyes as they went from emerald green to ice blue, and then he fell to the ground in pain. He tried to dematerialize, to disappear and go far away from her, but he couldn't.

Giles began to laugh, the kind of belly laugh that only comes with extreme exhaustion or relief or, in this case both. Willow's chanting had gone from Goblin to good old fashioned Latin, and he could recognize a binding spell when he heard one. She was holding him in place, making sure he didn't get away.

Jareth too recognized the spell. "It looks like our 'pet witch' isn't quite done with you, cousin." He said. Unlike Giles there was no humor in his tone. Quickly he advanced on the demon, who was now cowering defenseless on the ground. He screamed in agony, the combination of Jareth and Sarah in such close proximity causing pain to wrack his body. Jareth raised his sword above his head, but faltered. Even after everything he had done, Jareth couldn't bring himself to destroy his own cousin. He looked up at Sarah, but she shook her head, wordlessly telling him that she couldn't do it either.

Buffy watched the two of them and sighed in exasperation. She stepped between them, axe in hand, and swung, bringing Bothvar's miserable afterlife to a close. Then she turned around and walked away, just the hint of a strut in her step. At the awestruck look on the faces before her she commented "Well, the Big Bad is dead, the cemetery is covered in piles of dust, my work here is done."

"Wow, that was pretty neat." They heard Willow say, and turned just in time to see her smile weakly before collapsing at the foot of the hill." Oz and Xander ran to her side, as the others followed. Oz bent and scooped her up into his arms. "Is she okay?" Sarah asked.

"She's breathing." Giles answered. "She's just very tired."

Buffy sighed with relief. "Aren't we all." She said.

Jareth turned to Sarah, pulling her into his arms, and held her tightly. She put her arms around him and they held each other for a long moment. Finally Jareth broke the embrace and looked into Sarah's eyes. They were slowly fading back to their natural color, with only traces of the blue shining through. "I'm so sorry, my heart." He said softly. "I should never have let you take such a risk. You were nearly killed."

Sarah smiled, brushing a stray hair from his face. "But I wasn't." she said. "You saved me."

"Oh Sarah, I love you so much. If I had lost you…" Jareth began, and stopped as a rebellious sob escaped his cultured lips.

Sarah put a finger to those lips and kissed him gently at the corner of his mouth. "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." She said. He pulled her even more tightly into his arms and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her passionately as tears of joy and relief streamed down his face.

Ludo, Hoggle, and Didymus stared at the sight before them in utter disbelief. "Am I seein what I thinks I'm seein?" Hoggle asked.

"Well, if you think you see our Sarah in a passionate embrace with His Majesty King Jareth, then you are my brother." Didymus answered.

"What does it mean?" Hoggle wondered, scratching his head.

It was Ludo who answered. "Sawah Queen!" he exclaimed, and to everyone's surprise bowed low before the couple, who were now turned to face them.

Sarah was astonished to hear a low rumbling voice in her mind. " _My Lady Sarah, it is my honor to pledge my loyalty to you as Queen of the Labyrinth_."

"Ludo?" Sarah asked, her eyes wide.

"Prince Ludo." Jareth corrected, smiling. To Ludo he added "You have served your people well today, Your Highness, and brought honor back to the Cree."

" _Thank you, Your Majesty, though no action of mine can ever make up for the treachery of my people_." Ludo answered, though only Jareth and Sarah could hear him.

Sarah searched for the right words to respond to him, but could only find two. "Oh Ludo!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the furry creature.

* * *

 

They were standing in the throne room, Jareth and Sarah with their arms around each other, the rest huddled together waiting to say their goodbyes. Jareth had tried to convince Buffy and the others that they should stay for a while, at least until Willow had her strength back, but they would have none of it. As Buffy put it, every minute they were away, was another minute the Hellmouth went unprotected. He knew better than to argue with the Slayer, and so had reluctantly agreed to send them back once they had gotten cleaned up.

The responsible adult inside Giles had been struggling with him for several minutes, and finally broke free. "Sarah, are you sure you don't wish to come back with us? At least to say goodbye to your family?"

Sarah clutched Jareth tighter, shaking her head. "My place is here, with Jareth." She said, and Jareth smiled proudly. "Besides, if my family had cared at all about me, they would have noticed what was happening and tried to help. As it is, I doubt they even notice I'm gone yet."

"Then you'll just leave them to wonder where you are?" Xander asked.

"I won't be the first teenage girl to go missing in Sunnydale." Sarah answered darkly.

"I suppose not." Giles admitted. "Still, won't you miss them at all?"

"I will." Sarah said. "And I may tell them eventually where I am. Especially Toby, he's the only one who may understand. But for now, I have so much to learn, and so much to get used to." She looked up at Jareth, who smiled warmly at her, kissing her gently on her pale pink lips.

"And so much catching up to do." He added and she blushed.

"That reminds me." Buffy said. "Do we get an invite to the wedding or what?"

"Of course!" Sarah said, but Jareth pulled her aside and whispered something hurriedly in her ear, causing her blush to deepen to a dark crimson. "Uh, so not the wedding, but maybe the reception?" she amended.

"What?" Buffy asked, "Why?" Before Sarah could respond, Giles pulled her close and did his own whispering. Buffy's eyes grew wide, and to everyone's amazement, she blushed as well. "Uh…Okay. Reception it is." She made a motion in the air as though writing something down. "Consider the date marked." She said, smiling sheepishly.

"What am I missing?" Xander asked, as confused as ever.

"I think goblins skip the ceremony and go straight to the honeymoon." Willow said, never very discreet to begin with and now too tired even to try.

"Oh…" Xander and Oz said in unison. "Sweet" Oz added, giving Jareth a playful punch in the shoulder, to which Jareth frowned and rubbed the offended body part.

Buffy pulled Sarah away from Jareth and whispered conspiratorially, "You know, maybe you shouldn't have forgiven him so fast. Who knows when you'll have him groveling at your feet again like that again?"

Sarah looked from Buffy to the Goblin King, and then to the stairs leading up from the throne room. "Oh, I predict he'll be groveling at my feet about 30 minutes after you leave." She said, giggling.

Jareth pulled Sarah back into his arms. "I am a king, I never grovel, nor do I beg." He told her, his trademark smirk firmly in place.

She leaned in close, kissing the soft skin of his slender neck. "We'll see about that, oh great and powerful King of the Goblins" she whispered, and he felt goose bumps rising along his skin. Once again she had defeated him, for he would have her as his bride tonight, even if he had to beg, grovel and plead.

"Yes, well," Giles began, clearing his throat to get their attention. "I suppose we should be going."

Jareth turned back to the watcher, thrusting his hand to him. "Rupert, it has been my great honor to know you, sir."

"And I you, Your Majesty." Giles answered him, bowing slightly.

"If ever I should need an advisor, you would be the first one I thought to call upon." Jareth said, meaning it completely.

Giles smiled, uncomfortable with the praise. "Thank you, Jareth. That means a great deal."

Jareth moved on to Willow. "How can I ever repay you for what you did today?" he asked her. "I said before that you were a powerful witch, but I had no idea just how powerful you are. Guard that gift carefully. It can be your lifeline, or your undoing."

Willow smiled as he pulled her into an embrace, and whispered into his ear "Your parents told me to tell you that they love you, and they are very proud of you." He pulled back, shocked by her words. He looked into her eyes and understanding flashed between them. He smiled brightly, his eyes shimmering, and pulled her into a new embrace, this one filled with more gratitude than the last.

Finally he moved on with his farewells. Addressing Xander he said "You fought well today, as well as the bravest Goblin Elite. Buffy should be proud to have you by her side."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xander said, smiling broadly.

Coming to Oz the Goblin King smiled. "You fight well even in your human form. I hope one day to meet the beast inside you."

Oz shrugged. "Meh." He said, and Jareth nodded, moving on.

Finally his gaze rest on Buffy, and he hardly knew where to begin. She saved him from his awkwardness by pulling him into a powerful hug. A human of weaker strength might have felt bones cracking under the strength of her embrace, but Jareth only smiled warmly and returned it wholeheartedly. When they were done, they both had tears in their eyes.

"I'm gonna miss you." Buffy told him, wiping at her eyes.

"And I you, Slayer." Jareth told her. "I could never have made it through this without you."

Buffy shrugged off the comment, although her heart was as heavy as she had ever felt it. "If you ever need me, you know where to find me."

He put his hands on her shoulders, looking earnestly in her eyes. He was trying to read the path before her, and was terrified by what he saw there. "The same goes for you, Buffy. Sarah and I will always be here if you need us."

Buffy nodded, understanding that he was speaking in more than generalizations, but not wanting to know what he had seen. "I know, Jareth." She said, and kissed him softly on the cheek.

Jareth stepped back, and gave Sarah a chance to say her own goodbyes. Sarah merely stretched her arms wide, pulling all of them into a group hug. Her tears were flowing freely. "It's funny how in just a few short hours a group of near strangers can come to mean more to you than your own flesh and blood." She said, sobbing. The Scoobies looked at each other, and the truth of her words hit home on a level even she wasn't aware of.

Buffy squeezed her hand. "Take good care of him." She told the future Queen. "And make him take care of you."

"We'll be fine." Sarah said, and looked meaningfully at Giles. "It's our destiny.

With that she stepped back and put her arm around Jareth.

"Would you like to do the honors, my Queen?" he asked her.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "What? I can't do that." She protested.

"Of course you can." He smiled. "You can do anything I can. Just close your eyes and concentrate, and you'll find you know exactly what to do."

She closed her eyes and focused her mind. As he promised, the knowledge seemed to come to her as though it had always been there. She held out her palm and formed a crystal, focusing her will inside it. She opened her eyes and looked at her friends one last time. As excited as she was at the thought of being alone with Jareth, her heart ached knowing she may never see any of them again. "Goodbye my friends." She said as they disappeared in tendrils of smoke an glitter.

"Well done, darling Sarah." Jareth said, pulling her to face him. She smiled warmly, laying her head on his chest.

"Were you really that worried about me?" she asked him.

He put a finger under her chin, lifting her face until their eyes met. He gazed at her lovingly, giving her time to see the sincerity in his eyes before he spoke. "If Bothvar had taken you from me, my life would be over." He told her.

She smiled softly. "And now my life is just beginning." She said.

He took her by the hand, leading her towards the stairs that would take them to his chambers, their chambers. "Then let's not waste a second of it, my love."

* * *

 

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Bog of Eternal Stench, a balding little gremlin of a man was sloshing through the muck, trying to find his way to dry land. His suit was befouled, his tie long since lost, and his shoes were filled with something he'd rather not identify. He was mumbling to himself, as he had been for several hours. It was the usual tripe about revenge and getting his hands on someone and making them sorry, yada yada. Suddenly he looked up at the sky, screaming to no one in particular "And what is that smell?"


	17. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years later, Jareth and Sarah look in on Buffy and the Gang.

Epilogue

 

The Goblin Queen sat perched in the window sill of her study, her ebony hair twisting wildly in the wind. The night air was cool, and she pulled her feathery black cloak tightly around her shoulders. Perhaps the window was not the healthiest place for her musings, but after two years of living with Jareth, sharing everything with him, certain habits of his had become her own. This was one. Watching the Aboveground through crystals in the middle of the night was another.

And so she found herself again tonight, her summoned crystal reflecting the moonlight, as were the tears that slid silently down her cheeks. She looked up from the glimmering orb, unable to bear another second of the painful images that danced within. She had seen this coming for months now. Countless hours she had spent watching events unfold, powerless to do anything to stop what was coming. And tonight the foreseen culmination had come to pass, while she looked on helplessly from her windblown perch.

Her gaze was drawn to the Labyrinth, its endlessly spiraling and twisting walls a visual reminder of the lessons she had learned there so long ago: life isn't fair, nothing is as it seems. Never had those lessons had more meaning than tonight. As the events within the crystal played themselves out, her emotions had run the gamut of fear, dread, hope, sadness, anger, and regret. It wasn't fair. It didn't seem possible. Yet she had seen her fall, seen her sacrifice everything. She had seen the end.

Fresh tears welled in her green eyes, and she wiped at them absently as footsteps rang down the corridor outside the study. The familiar click, click, click of boot heels on stone brought a reluctant smile to her lips. Jareth entered the room, their bond no doubt telling him where she was without his having to look for her. If he had reached out further to brush her mind, he would have felt the pain in her, but as usual his attention was focused on the tightly wrapped bundle in his arms.

"Sarah, darling, I think the Little Princess is hungry, and I am unequipped to handle the situation." He told her, never looking up from his precious cargo.

Sarah turned to face her husband, smiling despite her pain. He never failed to cheer her up, even when he wasn't trying. "And here I thought there was nothing you could not do, my love." She chuckled.

"Under normal circumstances you would be right, but there some things only a mommy can take care of." He said with a smile, finally tearing his eyes away from his daughter to look at her mother. He leaned to kiss her cheek, and his smile fell quickly when he tasted the salty tears that still lingered there.

"Sarah?" he asked, is voice laden with concern. "Have you been crying?"

Without a word Sarah sighed and held the crystal out before him. He took it with his free and, squinting a bit until the images came into focus. He found himself watching a group of familiar people, huddled together, their shoulders slumped in unmistakable sadness. Giles, Willow, Xander, all stood together, joined by the young witch Tara, whom Jareth and Sarah had met several months ago. In her arms, sobbing mournfully, was Dawn Summers, the slayer's sister. They had only met her once before, and being from another dimension had not had memories of her planted as everyone else had. Still, they had watched her, had heard Buffy speak of her with pride and love, and had grown to love her as well. It tore at Jareth's heart to see the pain in her, and he dreaded knowing the cause of it.

Standing slightly apart from the others was the platinum haired vampire, Spike. Although they had never met, Jareth felt a kinship to the creature. There were tears streaming down the vampire's face as well, and Jareth knew only one thing could have caused such a show of emotion.

Buffy was conspicuously absent from the group, and Jareth knew why, though he longed for it not to be so. Had he not seen this in her future years ago? This path had been laid out for her, and while he had hoped it could be averted, he feared the time had finally come. His fears were confirmed when Spike knelt, his head in his hands. He now had an unobstructed view of the object of their sorrow, and tears sprang to his eyes.

"Oh no." he whispered, looking up at Sarah. She was crying again as well.

"Why didn't she call for us? Why didn't she let us help?"

Jareth looked back at the crystal, willing the image to change. But of course it didn't. The small freshly dug mound was still there, as was the plain marble slab that marked it. The inscription on the marker clouded through his tears, but their words would be burned in his mind forever:

Buffy Anne Summers

1981-2001

Beloved Sister, Devoted Friend

She saved the world…a lot.

Jareth released the crystal into the air, wishing the truth could disappear as easily. With his now free arm he pulled Sarah to his embrace, needing to feel the warmth of the two people he loved most in the world. "Well, pet, if I know Buffy, she was afraid of involving our world in events that could have destroyed hers." He kissed her forehead lovingly as she looked up at him. "As she told us so often, it was her fight. I doubt we could have made much difference anyway."

Sarah looked down at the tiny baby nestled happily in the crook of her father's arm. He was right, of course. Any involvement on their part would have put their world in danger; still she would have risked it all for the chance to avoid this outcome. Of course, Buffy knew that too, it's why she had never given the chance.

Jareth pulled back, handing the baby to Sarah. The young princess whined in protest at being taken from her father, but settled down quickly enough when he put both arms around Sarah, holding them both tightly. Sarah smiled at her daughter. "What made you think she was hungry?" she asked.

Jareth had been lost in thought, and it took him a moment to understand what she meant. "Oh..." he said finally, distractedly, "She was crying a little." This made Sarah chuckle.

"You mean she squeaked in her sleep and you ran to her aid." Sarah said, and he shrugged sheepishly, but didn't deny it. Sarah smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. The child was not yet a week old, and already she had Jareth wrapped around her finger. Sarah sighed. Silently, she thanked Buffy, hoping that wherever she was now, she knew just how much she had given her. Not only had she helped defeat the demon that wanted  her dead, but she had opened Sarah's eyes to her feelings for Jareth. She couldn't imagine her life without him, and shuddered at how close she had come to throwing it all in his face. She had Buffy to thank for bringing her to her senses.

And now there was a child. Their child. The thought never ceased to bring joy to her heart. She was perfectly happy, perfectly content. She squeezed her daughter to her chest and looked up at Jareth. "I think I know what to name our Little Princess." She said.

Jareth looked down at her, smiling softly. "I loved her too, Sarah, but I won't name the heir to my kingdom Buffy."

Sarah laughed. "No, nor would I." she said. "I was thinking…Destiny."

Jareth stroked his daughter's cheek, and even in her sleep she nuzzled his hand. He smiled. "Destiny…" he said, trying the name out in his mouth. "It's perfect." Addressing the tiny bundle he said "What do you think, Your Highness? Destiny, the Goblin Princess?"

The baby sighed in obvious pleasure, although Sarah expected it was more to do with hearing Jareth speaking in the voice he reserved only for her than at the name itself. Still, it seemed right, to fit perfectly. Jareth was her destiny; it was well that that the daughter he had given her should be called Destiny. Silently, she thanked Buffy for that as well.


End file.
